


Copyright N°. 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 


























The Maid 


AND 

The Miscreant 



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The Maid 

AND 

The Miscreant 



MAYHEW PUBLISHING CO. 
92-100 Ruggles Street 
Boston 
1906 


)C&C^[£|[Sx£)l 


LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

JAN U 1907 



COPYRIGHT, 1906 
BY THE 

MAYHEW PUBLISHING COMPANY 

BOSTON 

(all rights reserved) 


From u The Rhyme of Sir Christopher’* 

You should have seen him in the street 
Of the little Boston oj Winthrop's time , 

His rapier dangling at his feet, 

Doublet and hose and boots complete , 

Prince Rupert hat with ostrich plume , 

Gloves that exhaled a faint perfume , 

Luxuriant curls and air sublime 
And superior manners now obsolete l 

The first who furnished this barren land 
With apples of Sodom and ropes of sand. 

H. W. Longfellow 



















































% 























































CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. In Which I Meet Some Important 

People i 

II. 1 Have An Adventure 18 

III. I Make The Acquaintance Of “Roar- 

ing Tom” 31 

IV. In Which Blows Are Struck For My 

Lady’s Honor . 43 

V. I Enter Into A Plot And Meet With A 

Surprise 54 

VI. My Lady Has A Dream 64 

VII. In Which I Get A Glimpse Of Fortune 74 

VIII. Our Second Day On The Island . 87 

IX. In Which We Receive An Unwelcome 

Visitor 92 

X. In Mortal Terror 106 

XI. I Do A Bold, Impulsive Thing Which 

Causes Joan To Blush 113 

XII. In Which We Come To Virginia And I 

Get Into Trouble 124 

XIII. An Agent Of Providence 135 

XIV. In Which We Receive A Timely Warn- 

ing 141 

XV. We Find A Great Treasure And I Of- 
fend My Lady 150 

XVI. I Have It Out With Sir Christopher 156 

XVII. A Singular Disappearance 172 


XVIII. In Which There Seems To Be Forfeit 


Of Love 178 

XIX. We Go On A Man Hunt And I Come To 

Grief 183 

XX. I Am Smitten With A Fearful Jeal- 
ousy 192 

XXI. In Which Comes A Little Light . . 198 

XXII. The Miscreant’s Last Struggle . . . 203 

XXIII. In Which The Tangled Threads Are 

Unravelled 212 


The Maid 


AND 

The Miscreant 



CHAPTER I. 

In WHICH I MEET SOME IMPORTANT PEOPLE. 

Before entering upon the career of a soldier of 
fortune, I, Dick Carthew, only son of an honora- 
ble, though impoverished, house, had spent some 
little time in the army of King James. Now the 
service, as a calling, was well enough to my liking; 
but I had not been long in it before I discovered 
that it offered but a poor chance toward the realiz- 
ing of my great ambition, namely, to mend, and 
mend speedily, the shattered fortunes of our family. 
And so it was that I was never quite happy in it, 
and was always on the alert for something that 
promised a swifter sail to the port of my desire. 

It came about that one day whilst I was regaling 
myself at the Mermaid in London — that fine old 
tavern so often frequented by Shakespeare and 
rare Ben Jonson — I fell in with the noted Captain 
John Smith and another who was with him, 
named Thomas Brookfield, and from these I heard 
the most marvellous tales of a certain new land they 
had visited. This chance meeting was the turn- 
ing point of my life. Before we rose from the 
board so strongly had they impressed me with 
their fine and flowery descriptions, with their re- 
lation of the wonders they had witnessed and the 


i 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


opportunities they had encountered for romantic 
and profitable adventure, that afterwards I could 
rest neither night nor day until I found myself free 
of the King’s service, and safe on board ship bound 
for this wonderful new country. 

Before matters had progressed to this extent, 
however, some rumor of my purpose reached the 
ear of my father’s good friend, Lord Howard, and 
he sent word that he would see me. 

“So, lad, you would cajole Fortune in the New 
World, eh?” said the old nobleman in that hearty 
way of his. 

“Ay, my lord,” I responded, “the old fields 
seem over closely cropped and I would fain try 
new pastures.” 

“It’s a bold venture, sir,” said he, “but it’s not 
in me to dissuade your father’s son. Nay, I would 
rather encourage you in your purpose, Richard, for 
there are some yonder in America who are very dear 
to me.” 

“A niece, I have heard, my lord.” 

“A couple of them,” he answered, “and faith, 
sir, it’s one too many. There’s Mistress Joan now, 
who should come back.” 

“You see,” he went on, “Mistress Nell her 
sister, married young Ralph Dudley, and nothing 
would do for the other but that she would adven- 
ture with them across the seas. It was a wilful 
folly in the maid, and belike ere this she has heart- 
ily repented of it. But whether or no,” he added 


2 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


with a sigh, “I would have the sweet wench back 
again, for I miss her sadly.” 

“If I can do ought to that end, sir,” said I, “be- 
lieve me, it shall be done.” 

My visit to Durrimore Castle was of the briefest, 
though this was for no lack of courtesy on the part 
of my kind host ; but I had a great deal yet to do, 
and would be about it. 

Before I left him, however, my lord placed in my 
hands a considerable little package for Mistress 
Joan, which, as he observed with a mysterious 
smile, contained that which might aid in bringing 
about what he so desired. 

“It’s a thrust at the heel of Achilles, sir,” said 
he, responding to my curious look with a tantaliz- 
ing humor. “Nay, I’ll tell you nothing more! 
Good-bye, my lad, and the best of good fortune!” 

With this I needs must be satisfied, so, bowing 
my respects, I left him. Two days later we were 
at sea. 

The name of our ship was the Mary and John. 
She was commanded by Captain Thomas Merry, a 
name, by the way, which suited its owner poorly 
enough, for a heavier- witted, silenter man I never 
knew. We carried twenty-two passengers. Some 
of these were crossing to join friends already in 
America but not a few were like myself coming 
over on a venture. 

Of our voyage across what need to speak! It 
was doubtless like every other that had preceded 


3 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT. 


it, though I was fain to believe that surely the old 
god Boreas had never before shown himself quite 
so unamiable, or turned loose upon the trusting 
voyager so continuous a succession of retarding or 
retropulsive elements. The days ran into weeks, 
and the weeks into months; but an end came to 
our storm-buffeting at last, and we sailed into the 
port of our destination. 

As our vessel came to a standstill in Shawmut 
Harbor, I stood upon the deck gazing shoreward. 
There was no gleam of delight in my eyes. Nay, 
what I saw turned my heart to very lead within 
me. Was this then my Land of Promise ? Was 
this the “Golden Land,” the “Paradise anew” 
that had been described to me, and of which I had 
hung such fair pictures in the chambers of my 
fancy? Heaven help me, I could only see a wild, 
forlorn country closing down upon a poor strag- 
gling, struggling little village, bleak and miserable. 

Is it any wonder, I ask, \ that asT gazed upon this 
wretched reality there should come over me a 
great flood of rage and resentment against those 
who had so beguiled me ? I saw their vile delud- 
ing trick, and for a moment there was black 
murder in my heart, 

“Smith, Brookfield, liars are ye both!” I cried 
in a fury of disappointment, “Liars and trick- 
sters!” and I set my teeth and clenched my fists 
until my nails sunk deep into the flesh. 

Pah ! to what purpose was it when these menda- 


4 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


cious knaves were a thousand leagues out of 
earshot. I saw the utter folly of such a mood, and 
in a moment had smoothed down the furrows of 
my spirit with the hand of resignation. Well-a- 
day, here was I and here I should remain, be it to 
my fancy or otherwise. 

Meanwhile our sailors had been busy with the 
pinnace, getting her over the side, and presently I 
became aware that my fellow-passengers were 
hastening on board of her, eager to stretch their 
cramped limbs after so long and so tedious a voy- 
age. Hurrying down into the cabin I snatched 
up Lord Howard’s package, and in a moment was 
seated in the pinnace along with the rest. 

As we sped away shoreward, my thoughts natu- 
rally fell upon my ambassadorship, so to call it, and 
upon the young maid to whom I was accredited. 
“For Mistress Joan Forrest” — so ran the words 
upon the package, and faith I thought the name a 
most pleasing one. I fell to wondering if the maid 
herself would prove so pleasing. I already knew 
something about her, though but little; she was 
wilful and venturesome, and in general, ‘ ‘ a sweet 
wench” to her doting uncle; but whether she was 
fair or dark, short or tall, graceful or ungainly, 
plain or pretty, these things were a book yet un- 
opened to me. 

To say truth, I had up to this time given the 
matter little thought, my mind being set with fever- 
ish intentiveness upon the main purpose of my 


5 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


coming. But now that my hopes had failed, even 
as the dreams that come through the Ivory Gate, 
I felt in a sort thrown upon the maid for interest 
and comfort. And so it was that I was still think- 
ing about her, building up, as it were, an ideal 
Mistress Forrest, my fancy clothing with its own 
corporeous preferences the slender ribs of my 
knowledge of the maid, when I was aroused to 
more immediate interests by the bow of the pin- 
nace grating upon the sand. 

There was a score or more of the colonists at the 
landing to greet us, swarthy, somber-garbed men 
whose spirits looked to be as gray as their apparel. 
The place was breathless quiet and dull beyond 
description, and a haziness in the day added noth- 
ing of charm to an already unattractive picture. 

“Oh! I shall rust here to a certainty,” thought 
I gloomily; but certes, it was the poorest prognosti- 
cation that ever I made, for scarcely had I set foot 
on shore than I was off it again upon the maddest 
of adventures. Immediately upon landing I 
made inquiry for those I was seeking, and being 
told that they lived on the further side of a hill 
which rose upon our right, I made no delay in 
setting off upon my errand. 

I had mounted this hill and got well into the 
valley on the other side, and was approaching a 
narrow stream to cross on a foot bridge, when on 
turning a bend in the road, I came suddenly upon 
two persons engaged in talk. 


6 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


One of these was a tall, well-set man of about 
forty, strikingly well dressed, and of a bearing 
which suggested to my mind at the same moment 
the swashbuckler and the courtier. His face, 
albeit indulgence had traced some ugly pictures 
thereupon, was yet handsome and of a cast which 
declared him an aristocrat born. No Puritan was 
he, that I saw quickly enough; indeed, for this 
conclusion I need only have glanced at the splendid 
jewelled rapier that he wore, a weapon far too 
gaudy for those staid first-comers. 

His companion, I noted, was a person of quite 
another mold, an older man of a rugged sort, with 
the red bloated face of a sot and the garb of a 
seaman. Beshrew me, but they were an odd 
couple, and so strongly contrasted in dress and de- 
meanor that I can picture them at this moment as 
though they stood before me. 

The path I was on was soft and lightly beaten, 
and the brush and foliage bordered it thickly, so 
that before these two were aware of my presence, 
I had come near enough to catch a little of their 
talk. 

‘ ‘It is arranged, then, captain!” the first was say- 
ing. “You will see that the proper steps are 
taken?” 

“Ay, sir,” responded the other, huskily. 

“Stay, there’s one thing more,” continued the 
tall man. “I have said nothing of the reward for 
your services in the matter, but should our plan 


7 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


fare through, you will be nothing the loser, be sure 
of that.” 

“ That’s all fair and square, Sir Christopher,” 
said the Captain . “ Y our word is enough. T rust 

me, sir, to be on hand with Cole and Horwood at — ” 

The what and where of their arrangements were 
of no interest to me, and being of no mind to play 
the part of eavesdropper, I stepped forth quickly 
into full view, when the man suddenly broke off 
speech. 

“Your pardon, gentlemen,” quoth I, “but per- 
chance you will be good enough to direct me to the 
dwelling of one Master Ralph Dudley, with whom 
lives the maid, Joan Forrest.” 

Zounds! one would have thought that I had 
clapped a brace of pistols at their heads. 

“Who the devil are you?” snapped the man 
called Sir Christopher, giving the query its most 
offensive emphasis. 

“Sir!” cried I, flaring up and with hand leaping 
to hilt. “Sir! You will leave the devil out of that 
question, if you please.” 

“And will I, then!” he roared savagely, his own 
hand at the same trick. 

Lord, sirs, I had whipped out my sword in a 
twinkling, and he, too, and we stood at the very 
edge of combat — For perhaps a full minute we re- 
mained thus, glowering at each other — then some- 
how, a new mind came to him, and he thrust back 
his weapon and laughed. 


8 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Ha!” cried he. “Here are we two utter 
strangers flying full at each other’s throats for 
naught but a rude word shot out in a moment of 
surprise. Fie on it ! Sir, I apologize to you and do 
emend my question. Avaunt Sathanas ! — And now 
mayhap it will please you to answer the residue?” 

“What’s left is as irrevelant as the whole was 
insulting,” said I, not greatly mollified. “How, 
sir,” I demanded, “is’t the way here to present 
one’s biography with every trivial inquiry?” 

Again he laughed. 

“’Fore God, sir,” said he, “you are clearly in 
the right of it ! But you shook us coming upon us 
so sudden, you did indeed — so you are not long in 
these parts?” 

“Scarce a full hour,” I told him. 

He looked relieved. 

“Ah, maybe now you arrived upon the ship?” 

My look of angry impatience at this unwarranted 
cross- questioning was not lost upon the man. 

“I beg your pardon,” he added quickly. “I 
was forgetting. You inquired, I believe, for 
Master Thomas Dudley — ” 

“Nay, Ralph, man, Ralph!” 

“In that case I am quite at a loss,” he re- 
sponded, his eyes, however, moving shiftily. ‘ ‘Our 
good Deputy Governor is the only Dudley I have 
knowledge of.” 

I turned to the other. 

‘ ‘ Perchance, you then, sir ?” 


9 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


4 ‘Not I,” responded that worthy, brusquely. 
il Being a sea-faring man, how should I?” 

I had the strongest suspicion that they lied, both 
of them, and was of a hot mind to tax them w T ith 
it; but, thinking twice on the matter, I held my 
tongue and passed on, though I was greatly puzzled 
to mate their deception with any satisfactory 
reason. 

Stepping along to the bridge I there saw two 
boats in waiting, one on the outer or bay side, this 
with a couple of sailors in it, the other on the inner 
side. And here it was that I came upon a sight 
quite unexpected, a thing that on a sudden struck 
and enlivened my somewhat depressed spirits. In 
the stern of this latter boat sat a pretty, but haughty 
mannered youth, flicking the water impatiently 
with a light walking cane. The lad was of slender 
build, indeed, almost frail, and his years were 
surely not above a score. With small regular feat- 
ures, full melting dark eyes, and a profusion of 
lustrous curls, he was one fitted, I thought, to 
catch any maiden’s fancy; yet, looking closer, I 
doubted somewhat but he lacked in that virile 
quality which holds it. 

The picture was heightened by his dress. He 
wore, for one thing a dark satin jerkin richly em- 
broidered and with fine ruffled lace at the front and 
also on the cuffs; while on his head sat jauntily a 
little Spanish hat ornamented with an aigrette and 
costly jewelled clasp. 


10 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


All this, the hauteur and beauty of the youth and 
his exquisite finery, set in sharp contrast against 
that wild background, struck me with wonder, and 
for the moment I could not but think that I was 
standing by Thames side at home, where some 
proud page-in-waiting lingered in my lord’s barge 
for my lord’s lady. And so, as I say, I was struck 
with amaze and I stared at the youth, who in turn 
stared back at me — but next moment, as though my 
appearance had no further interest for him, he fell 
again to his former idle occupation. 

Presently recalling my wits, I was about to ad- 
dress to him my previous inquiry, thinking that so 
fine a youth would surely have some knowledge of 
my lora’s niece; but before I could utter the words, 
the two men hurried down to the bridge and each 
stepped into his own boat. 

“Row swiftly, Roslin,” I heard the knight give 
orders, and the youth leaped to the oars. Next 
moment one party was speeding upstream and the 
other out towards a vessel lying in the harbor. 

Not a little inspirited by this fleeting glimmer of 
something like Old World scenes, I again moved 
on. Come, thought I, this is like to prove not so 
stupid a place after all! What surprises may not 
await me anon? I was in the most volatile humor, 
ready for anything, come best, come worst. 

I recall on account of the very singularity of it, 
that as I walked along, there ran trippingly upon 
my tongue, a nonsensical little lyric out of a play 
by Master Shakespeare, to wit: 


ii 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


King Stephen was a worthy peer, 

His breeches cost him but a crown, 

He held them sixpence all too dear, 

With that he called — 

Hulloa! Out from the border of bushes over- 
looking the river came tripping a young maid. 

“Ha, it’s the lad’s sweetheart! She’s been 
watching him, I warrant, feasting on his proud 
beauty afar. Faith, mistress,” mused I, “thou 
playest Hero to but a cold Leander.” 

The girl was crossing the mead diagonally to 
take the road, stooping frequently to gather wild 
flowers. I stood and looked at her, quite charmed 
by the gracefulness of her movements ; but her gaze 
being fixed in search upon the ground, she did not 
catch sight of me until she was quite near. Then, 
seeing a stranger in front of her, she drew back with 
a little start and exclamation. But this passed 
quickly, and in a second she was herself again. 

Do all men notice first about a woman, her eyes ? 
Such is my way, and this maid’s, I saw T , w^ere of a 
pretty hazel color, arch and laughing in expression, 
indeed, almost mischievous. Next I found my 
gaze dwelling upon a perfectly bewitching little 
mouth, with lips ripe and full. And then upon 
her complexion, than which never did come a finer 
work from the hands of those matchless twin ar- 
tists, youth and health. 

Her hair I can but compare with a tumbled 
mass of gold, with just that rich red tinge of the 


12 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


metal which in my fancy is so beautiful; while her 
dress (to come to externals) though in a general 
sense it was that of the other Puritan maids I had 
seen, yet for all its likeness, it was gloriously dis- 
tinguished from any other by an embellishing 
grace borrowed from an almost perfect and en- 
tirely adorable figure. Such in a few poor strokes 
was the engaging picture I saw before me. 

‘ 4 Your pardon, fair mistress,” quoth I, with a 
profound bow, ‘ * but I would fain find the dwelling 
of Ralph Dudley, hereabouts.” 

“You are not a world’s distance therefrom, 
sir.” 

Her reply came quickly, yet there seemed no 
hint of forwardness in it. 

“Dost mark yonder where the path bends 
shoreward?” 

It was a lovely hand that pointed out the way, 
and faith my eyes were loath to leave it, but I 
said: 

“Ay, surely!” 

“Then, sir, you have but to follow that until you 
come to — ” she paused and glanced at me, I fancied 
with no little curiosity in her eyes— “But, stay!” 
she cried, with a new thought, “I am very well 
known at the Dudley’s, and if it please you, sir, 
will walk along there with you.” 

“Mistress,” said I, sweeping the very ground 
with my plumes, “you increase my indebtedness 
beyond all computation.” 


*3 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


She flashed me a coy interrogative. 

“To your gracious information you add the 
enchantment of your company.” 

She court esied to me for this poor attempt at gal- 
lantry, and smiled quite coquettishly, disclosing 
teeth like pearls. 

“I take you for a new-comer, sir. Such pretty 
compliments are a luxury our own men care not to 
indulge in.” 

“What!” cried I, “and with so inspiring a 
subject?” 

She made a charming little mouth at me. 

“Oh, sir!” she protested, “you really must 
not. After so long a fast sweets should be given 
but sparingly.” 

At this happy retort we both laughed heartily, 
and to my enlivened fancy, her delightful little 
ripple, with my ruder note, were our instant signa- 
tures to a bond of mutual liking. 

There can be no more satisfactory method of 
introduction than a little chance duel with the 
wits — ’tis as if two cavaliers strangers to each other, 
ran hotly atilt over some trifle, and proving each 
other true swordsmen, were friends ever afterward — 
and so this maid and I had come to a footing in a 
mere score of words. 

“But come!” I went on, “there be some here 
proficient in the amenities, surely. Just now upon 
the road yonder I met a swaggering peppery gen- 
tleman, yet courtly withal, whose tongue should 
turn readily to such speeches.” 

I 4 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“You mean Sir Christopher Gardiner ?” 

“The same, no doubt.” 

“Oh,” she responded with a scornful toss of 
her head, “Sir Christopher’s tongue lacks nothing 
in readiness; but, sir, I hate the man!” 

The word came out with a passionate vigor 
which almost startled me. 

“Hate, mistress!” said I in surprise. “’Tis a 
bitter word for sweet young lips.” 

“Natheless, I would there were a bitterer!” 

Hey day! here was evidently no agreeable sub- 
ject. To change it forthwith, I took on a bantering 
air. 

“And that gentle youth who waited in the boat, 
you hate him also?” I asked with a quick glance 
at her. It was a great impertinence, and I had 
repented of it the instant it was uttered, for the 
maid flushed painfully and fell into silence. 

But she was not one to carry resentment, or, 
indeed, any mood but sweetness for long, so with 
another diverting question, this time more happily 
chosen I soon had her her merry gracious self again, 
and she chattered away pleasantly and with 
little prompting until we reached the house. 

“Since you know Mistress Forrest,” said I, 
pausing at the gate— for I was loath to go further, 
my aplomb being of a sort I could not depend upon 
between walls — “you will kindly hand her this 
package intrusted to my care for her by her uncle 
Lord Howard. And say to her, if you please, that 
my lord desires that she come home.” 




THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Oh, sir,” she protested with a little frown, 
“but this will never do! You cannot be dismissed 
so ungraciously. I answer for it that Mistress 
Joan and her sister and Master Dudley w~ould be 
much put out with it. Prithee come in!” — and as 
I still hesitated — “Nay then you must!” she cried 
and laughing gavly she caught me by the sleeve 
and drew me along up to the house, I having no 
heart against such charming insistence. 

Master and Mistress Dudley, it was found, w^ere 
not at home; but Mistress Joan, as my merry con- 
ductress informed me after a tour of investigation, 
was in the house, and would be down in a few mo- 
ments. Then the maid started to leave me again, 
declaring that she must go and help her friend in 
making ready fitly to receive her visitor. 

“I beg that Mistress Forrest will put herself to 
no trouble on my account,” I protested earnestly. 

“Tut, sir!” she cried. “You forget that you 
come as emissary from my lord. For this, if for 
no other reason, you must submit to be honored. 
And besides, we seldom see a new 7 face; so be pa- 
tient, sir, be patient!” and wdth the merriest laugh 
she left me, taking the package I had brought along 
with her. 

I waited for full half an hour, perhaps even 
longer; but I had the most agreeable thoughts 
for companions, and the time was little heeded. 
What matter now, I mused, if Mistress Joan her- 
self turn out a very Gorgon for ugliness; I had 


16 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


found another in this poor dismal country, the 
loveliest, liveliest maid that ever ravished the earth 
with the touch of her dainty feet. And had Cap- 
tain John Smith been there at that moment, faith 
I had apologized to him most humbly for all my 
hard feelings, and bestowed a happy man’s bless- 
ing upon him to boot. 

I was still in the midst of these pleasing reflec- 
tions when, on a sudden, my ear caught a swift 
rustling upon the stairs outside. 

Next moment the door flew open and a dazzling 
vision appeared, clad in a rich beautiful costume 
of dark blue silk, embellished with rows of fine 
and costly lace. I caught a glimpse of a lovely, 
somewhat flushed, face, with eyes beaming with 
joy and merriment — then with my senses in a 
thorough bewilderment, I bowed low before the 
radiant apparition. 

When I again lifted my eyes and looked at the 
maid before me, it was to start back in astonish- 
ment. 

“Oh! — You!” I stammered. “You! — I fancied 
’twas Mistress Joan.” 

She broke into silvery laughter. 

“Well, sir, and do I not suit your fancy?” she 
cried, most roguishly. “Iam the only Joan there 
is!— See!” she said, turning about that I might ad- 
mire her exquisite gown. “Was not his lordship 
most kind ?” 


CHAPTER II. 


' • I HAVE AN ADVENTURE. 

I remained the guest of Mistress Forrest for 
two delightful hours. She insisted upon serving 
me with refreshments with her own hands, and 
poured for me the most delicious cup of tea I had 
ever tasted. 

When the dishes were laid aside she sung for me 
some old English ballads, accompanying herself 
on the spinet, and I could not help thinking that 
had the instrument a soul, it surely must have felt 
shame to speak when Joan sang, so rich was the 
voice of her, so sweet, so tender. 

And so with a variety of delights she played the 
hostess for me, the most gracious and charming 
that I had ever known. 

But most of the time was spent in talk. I had to 
answer scores of questions concerning the dear 
homeland, and I found that my lord was not far 
wrong in deeming that she had had enough of 
the austerities of colonial life. 

In response to some inquiries of my own, which 
I made bold to make now that we were better 
acquainted, she told me more about the handsome 
Sir Christopher Gardiner, and I soon saw that 
her contempt for him was no feigning — as is often 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


the way with womankind when the word ‘hate* 
comes so readily from them — but the true ex- 
pression of her feeling towards the man, who, as 
she said, continually pestered her with his unwel- 
come attentions. 

She told me also of one Thomas Morton, some- 
time of Furnivall’s Inn , 4 ‘ Roaring Tom” as he was 
now called, a colleague of the knight, and a gre^t 
thorn in the side of the Puritans on account of his 
misdoings. This roistering fellow held his unruly 
court on the other side of the bay. 

Immediately upon leaving Mistress Forrest, I 
went and secured lodgings with one Master Maude, 
to whom she had recommended me; and during 
the remainder of the afternoon I busied myself in 
getting my belongings ashore from the ship. 

By nightfall I was fairly settled and after a frugal 
supper and some little talk with mine host, I sat 
down to smoke my pipe and think over the events 
of the day. 

As I drew in and ejected the aromatic cloud, 
slowly my mind drifted from one incident to an- 
other in the day’s happenings, dwelling especially 
upon what had taken place since I landed. In 
fancy I walked again over the hill; again had my 
trifling adventure at the bridge, and passed along 
to encounter Mistress Joan crossing the flowery 
meadow\ Again I chatted pleasantly with her on 
the way to Ralph Dudley’s, and in the end burst 
into laughter afresh as I came to the clever little 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


trick she had played upon me in the matter of who 
she was. 

Then I began to connect things. A sudden 
recollection of Gardiner’s strange words and 
startled look came to me, and close upon the heels 
of this what Mistress Forrest had told me concern- 
ing his attentions to her, and finally Master 
Maude’s talk upon Sir Christopher’s character 
and ill-fame. And putting these things together 
I began to be uneasy in my mind. A vague sus- 
picion grew upon me that some plot was hatching, 
some villainy afoot, though what it was I could 
make no reasonable conjecture. 

4 ‘Tut!” I exclaimed, after puzzling over it 
awhile, “don’t be a fool, Dick! No one would dare 
harm the maid,” and I fell to puffing at my pipe 
with vigor, a trick I have frequently found helpful 
in turning the current of one’s thoughts. 

But it was to no purpose. They still lingered 
about the maid Joan, and every moment the feeling 
grew stronger in me that she was threatened with 
some grave and immediate danger. 

At length I was worked up to such a condition 
that I could remain inactive no longer. Buckling 
on my sword and taking my pistol as well, I opened 
the door of the house and stepped out. 

The night was not dark, and yet dark enough to 
be chosen for deed of daring or of crime. There 
was a moon aloft, but it diffused its light dimly 
through a thin curtain of scudding mist; so that 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


looking around it was difficult for me to distin- 
guish the scattered dwellings from the numerous 
masses of rock and bush which had not yet been 
removed by the hard-working settlers. 

Ralph Dudley’s house I was able readily to 
locate on account of its peculiar situation. It was 
a commodious two-storied structure, with pillared 
portico, occupying the top of a low rise very close 
to the shore. The woods on the front and sides of 
it had been thinned out by the diligent hand of its 
Puritan owner, leaving only a scattering of large 
trees. A long path led dowm the green slope to 
the gate, w'hile from one end a narrower path 
wound through low bushes down to the water. 

As I approached Dudley’s everything seemed to 
be well. There was no light visible either in this 
dwelling or in any other near it, the settlers being 
in the habit of retiring at an early hour, though it 
was now well past nine o’clock. 

The night was very calm and still; save for the 
occasional croaking of a frog, and now and then the 
stirring of some small animal among the leaves, 
some timid creature disturbed by my nocturnal prow 
ling, there w r as not a sound to break the silence. 

Stopping in front of the house, I lingered by the 
gate for it may have been five minutes, gazing up at 
the window which I thought must be Mistress 
Joan’s, my fancy the while picturing a lovely face 
half buried in spotless pillow, and shaded above by 
a mass of pretty tumbled golden hair. 


21 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Presently arousing from this mood — albeit not 
without an effort — and feeling relieved in mind for 
that I had seen nothing of a disturbing nature, I 
was about to retrace my steps, when on a sudden 
my eye caught a glint of light from behind a large 
tree near the house. 

Instantly every sense was on the alert. Gazing 
steadily in that direction, I discerned against the 
dim background of sky a number of stealthy-mov- 
ing figures. There were three of them — ah! it was 
the number mentioned by the captain upon the 
road! My fears were not groundless, then, 
thought I, and drawing my pistol I began to creep 
cautiously forward. 

“Hist!” — the voice came from behind a rude 
stone wall beside me. 

A man rose out of the blackness and clambered 
over. 

“Hist!” he said again, “there’s devil’s work 
here!” 

“Who are you?” cried I, covering the fellow. 

“Lower your pistol,” said he calmly; “a friend 
of the Dudleys and a foe to those scoundrels 
yonder. Enough for the present! There’s ab- 
duction on hand from what I have overheard. Run 
you for help! Quick!” 

“Nay!” I protested, “there are but three of 
them. The nearest house is at a distance; there 
may not be time. Come, if you be friend and with 
Dudley’s help we’ll balk the villains!” 


22 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


The man considered a moment. 

“ Ay, we might” said he 4 ‘we might — but I have 
no weapon.” 

“I am doubly provided,” said I, presenting 
sword and pistol. * 1 Choose !” 

He chose the pistol. 

“Come now,” said I, “and let us haste,” and 
immediately we began to creep along towards the 
marauders, taking care to keep ourselves well 
under cover among the trees. 

Tense as my mind was at this moment, I was 
yet in a condition to take some note of my strange 
companion’s appearance. He was a man of rather 
more than middle height, alert, strong and sinewy. 
Something odd I noted about one of his ears, in the 
darkness I could not tell exactly what, though it 
seemed as if by some accident he had lost the lobe 
of it. This fact did not disturb me any, but some- 
how I began to have my doubts about the fellow’s 
honesty. What was he doing abroad at this hour ? 
I resolved that I would keep him well in my view. 

Suddenly as our gaze was turned towards the 
rise, we saw the three men dash from the shelter of 
the tree and make for the house. They bore be- 
tween them a huge log and with a single blow of this 
which had all their weight and force behind it they 
crushed in Dudley’s door. 

Immediately following the sound of rending 
timbers, came the screams of the inmates, terrified 
at such rude and sudden awakening. One of the 


2 3 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


voices I knew to be Joan’s, and the thought of 
her danger inspired me with a desperate courage. 

I sprang from covert and rushed forward. 

“A rescue! A rescue!” I shouted, waving my 
sword as I ran. 

There w r as a flash from an upper window, and 
a shot rang out. It was Dudley’s alarm for as- 
sistance. 

Then another — a pistol shot — resounded within 
the house. The sturdy young Puritan was resist- 
ing to the death. 

“A rescue, Dudley! A rescue!” I cried again 
as I sped onward. 

In the wild excitement of that moment I quite 
forgot my promised caution. I forged ahead of 
my companion — or was it that he slipped inten- 
tionally behind? I only know that before I had 
reached the house I felt myself suddenly tripped 
up and went sprawling to the ground with the 
traitorous villain on top of me. 

‘ 4 So, my fine fellow, you would spoil Sir Chris- 
topher’s little amusement, would you!” he ob- 
served mockingly. ‘ 4 Look you now, what is to 
hinder my putting a bullet through you for your 
infernal meddling! What’s the girl to you?” 

I cursed my assailant for his damnable treachery 
and struggled violently to free myself. He was 
perched astride the small of my back, leaning 
forward with both hands pressing mightily upon 
the nape of my neck, so that with my face half 


24 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


buried in the sward, I was like to suffocate for 
lack of breathing space. 

The advantage he had was a fearful one ; never- 
theless, I being no weakling, he had all he could 
do to retain it. His hands were well employed, 
else doubtless he had used his weapon upon me. 

We writhed and strained thus for what seemed 
many minutes — when presently another scream 
of terror from the house reaching my ears, I put 
forth an almost superhuman effort and flung the 
scoundrel off. 

Swiftly I strove to regain my feet, yet before I 
could straighten my body, he was upon me again 
like a wild-cat. 

“Take it then, you dog!” he cried, savagely, 
and raising aloft my own pistol, he brought the 
butt of it down with a fierce oath upon my un- 
covered head. 

The blow was a vicious one, and doubtless 
would have done for me offhand had not an instinc- 
tive uplifting of my arm broken the force of it. It 
was sufficient to stun me, however. I remember 
in a last flash of thought feeling that the maid was 
lost — then I sank back upon the ground uncon- 
scious. 

I have often wondered whether or not the 
pressure of necessity helps one in some singular 
way to revive from a blow; it seems to me such 
urgency may act in a like manner with the strong 
desire on retiring to awake at a certain hour in 


2 5 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


the morning — at any rate I must have come to 
quickly. Doubtless this was due in part to the 
refreshing effect of a light drizzling rain which 
had begun to fall. 

I sat up dazed, and for some moments seemed 
unable to collect my scattered senses. Then 
gradually, everything coming back to me, I scram- 
bled to my feet, snatched up my blade, and ran 
at headlong speed down the narrow footpath to 
the shore. 

The devil was in it! I arrived too late — yet to 
my intense aggravation sufficiently in time to see 
the abductors place their limp, helpless burden 
into their boat, push off and row rapidly away into 
the gloom. Another moment and I had been 
upon them with my sword — Oh fatal incaution! 
fatal delay! — so thought I then and for many trying 
days afterward — yet now at the end I can truly 
say I would not that these things had turned out 
one whit otherwise. 

Glancing about me I saw drawn up on the shore 
nearby a fair-sized shallop. I hastened up to 
this and by a tremendous effort I managed to set 
it afloat, when springing on board, I flung the 
oars into place and gave pursuit. 

Sir Christopher’s boat had by this time wholly 
vanished, but I had noted the direction the scoun- 
drels had taken, and I followed without hesitation 
or delay. 

Sounds of alarm now reached me from the shore, 
and I could dimly descry men and women running 

*6 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


hither and thither; but still I rowed on, staying 
for no assistance. 

It may seem that it was a crack-brained thing 
to do, thus to set out alone, one against so many ; 
but my madness was not without some method . 
I hoped at least to keep the abductor’s boat in 
view, so that I could direct the larger crews that 
would presently give chase. 

In this hope, however, I was to be disappointed. 
I had not defied the elements, but I had forgotten 
them. Almost before I had realized the danger 
of it, T found myself shut off from all sight of the 
shore, hopelessly adrift and floating I knew not 
whither. The mist had closed in upon me, and 
I had lost all sense of direction. 

I stood up in the shallop and shouted: “Hilloa! 
Ahoy!” and this cry I repeated again and again 
at brief intervals; but there came no answer, not 
even the mocking answer of an echo. 

With the discouragement of failure heavy upon 
me, I fell to calling myself no flattering names. 
What a fool I had been one moment to trust that 
scoundrel of the mutilated ear. 

Ah, that ear! Now suddenly I remembered 
having heard that thus it was the Puritans often 
punished their renegades and criminals. Why 
had I not thought of this in timo ? 

Presently realizing the utter futility of such a 
mood, I again grasped the oars and expended the 
balance of my vexation in vigorous rowing. 


27 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


For my own personal safety I was absolutely 
without fear. I felt that being inside the bay, 
there was a good chance of my touching land at 
some point; or if I missed land I might possibly 
pass within hail of some approaching ship. But 
my heart was sick and sore for the unfortunate 
maid, snatched thus from home and friends by 
the scoundrel she hated. I felt, too, though per- 
haps without reason, that my Lord, her uncle, 
would in a measure hold me responsible for her 
safety. What should I say to him when I went 
back to England? 

Every little while I rose and shouted at the top of 
my lungs, but always with the same discouraging 
result, only the deeper silence. 

At length, and I must have been in this case for 
several hours, my eager ears seemed to catch the 
rolling sound of waves upon a beach. 

Once more I repeated the well-known hail of the 
seaman and then listened. 

“Ahoy! Ahoy!” came faintly over the waters. 

Again I shouted, and again came the reply, 
this time a little louder, a little nearer, and I knew 
that relief was coming as fast as human effort 
could bring it. 

A few minutes later a boat shot through the 
mist coming swiftly towards me. 

“Oho! friend,” cried the leader of my rescuers, 
when near enough, “and who may you be?” 

“A stranger on these coasts,” I answered. “My 
name, Richard Carthew.” 


28 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“I’ faith, Rob!” cried one of the party, “here’s a 
new recruit for our merry Morton!” 

I caught the name of Morton, the friend of Sir 
Christopher Gardiner, and was instantly upon 
my guard. 

“How came you in this plight?” inquired the 
first speaker. 

I lied to him like an adept. 

4 4 1 was but returning from visiting an acquaint- 
ance,” said I promptly, 4 4 when the mist closed in 
upon me and I was lost.” 

He turned to his men and bade them pull round 
the boat. When this was done he called for my 
line, which I flung to him, and soon under the 
vigorous strokes of his companions we reached 
the land. 

After our boats had been drawn up on the beach, 
my rescuers bade me follow them, which I did, 
though with no very great spirit. Crossing a 
short stretch of low land we reached the foot of 
a considerable rise, and ascending we came pres- 
ently to a great palisadoed enclosure. This 
stockade loomed darkly against the hazy sky, and 
jutting out from it at regular intervals I could see 
the muzzles of demi-culverins and murtherers. 

The man called Rob knocked three times on 
the gate with the hilt of his sword. 

4 4 Who comes?” demanded a voice within. 
4 4 Give the password!” 

4 4 Oh, hang the password !” ejaculated our leader 


2 9 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

impatiently. “What is the heathen gibberish? 
Hungribus — hungribus et roystero /”* 

“Ho! ho!” laughed the sentry. “So that’s it, 
is it ? Faith, Rob, thou’st finely murdered it, but I 
recognize the corpse. Come in, Hungribus!” 

“’Tis always some infernal Latin that should 
be left to the mouthing of pettifoggers and leeches,” 
grumbled the other. ‘ ‘ We are not all of us from 
Furnivall’s, and Tom Morton should remember 
it. But he’ll have his whims!” 

The man inside had by now thrown open the 
gate and our little party filed in. 


* Morton, “Lord of Misrule” was a scholar and given to Latin 
quotations. This password, Unguibus et rostro, meaning broadly, 
“tooth and nail,” was probably suggested by his attitude towards the 
Puritans. 


3 ° 


CHAPTER III. 


I MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF 1 1 ROARING TOM.” 

Crossing the enclosure we drew up in front of 
a low, rambling picturesque building situated 
very nearly in the centre. The outside of this 
building was of clay cemented over a framework 
of huge logs. Round about were grouped a num- 
ber of smaller houses of like construction. 

The windows of the central building were ablaze 
with light from a great log fire and many flaring 
pine torches within. It was the famed palace of 
Merry Mount. 

Without knocking or ceremony of any kind, 
our leader pushed open the door, and we followed 
him into an immense chamber, arranged in the 
fashion of an old English dining hall. The walls 
were of carved oak, with here and there ornamental 
groupings of halberds and shields; while in the 
four corners and on either side of the entrance 
stood the iron suits of invisible knightly warriors. 

Down the middle of the apartment ran a long 
oaken table, and around this sat about thirty 
fellows, drinking and carousing with great uproar 
of mirth. 

At the head of the board presided a rather 
striking looking personage with a long pipe in his 


3i 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


mouth and a capacious tankard at his elbow. He 
had a merry, rollicking countenance, with blue eyes 
large and laughing, and a curly brown beard. 
His locks, of the same color, were long, and hung 
gracefully over his shoulders. A close-fitting buff 
jerkin with slashed sleeves set off a stalwart figure, 
while from under the table as he sat, protruded 
immense long boots of tawny leather. 

“Ho, la, Robin !” was his jovial greeting. “A 
visitor, eh?” 

“Ay, your grace! — ” Bodfish bowed with a mock 
deference — ‘ 4 ’tis an unlucky gentleman whom we 
found adrift in an open boat. For the rest, sir, 
I’ll warrant he can speak for himself.” 

“You are most welcome, friend,” said the Lord 
of Merry Mount, holding out his hand cordially. 
“’Tis Liberty Hall here, sir, save for the Puritans 
and the savages, and you, I perceive, have neither 
the sour countenance of the one, nor the copper 
complexion of the other.” 

I bowed to my festive host and thanked him 
with the best grace I could muster under the cir- 
cumstances, and then informed him of my name 
and station, adding a few other little points on my 
affairs, but speaking always with caution. 

“So !” he cried when I had finished. “Stranger , 
Englishman, son of a Lord ! Then, sir, you have a 
triple claim upon our hospitality. Come, we must 
drink upon it!” 

Several of the seats being vacated through their 


32 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

occupants having fallen in a drunken stupor 
under the table, Morton had one of them brought 
up and set beside his own, and when I was com- 
fortably placed, he handed me the tankard and 
I took a great draught from it, for of a truth I was 
chilled to the bone from my exposure in the raw 
mist. The tart, pleasant liquid set my blood 
tingling immediately. 

“Most excellent wine,” said I, setting down 
the vessel. 

4 4 By the Lord, sir, and it should be !” he laughed. 
“’Tis the finest from Spain, and has that most 
delicate flavor that comes from never a penny of 
dues being paid upon it.” 

Putting the tankard to his own lips he took a 
long pull at it and then set it down with a grunt 
of satisfaction. 

“And yet,” he mused, “there be those who look 
upon this ambrosial essence as so much rank 
poison. Blind fools! they would arrogate to 
themselves a greater wisdom than the Almighty.” 

Gradually the clamor which our arrival had 
interrupted assumed its original intensity, and 
presently the laughter, shouting, pounding, and 
clinking of the cups, contributed to an uproar 
which made conversation impossible. 

One of the revellers now broke into a rollicking 
song, all the rest joining deafeningly in the chorus. 
No sooner was this concluded than up sprang 
a mountebank and began a series of the most 


33 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


grotesque and amusing antics. Then there was 
some bold juggling with goblets, flagons, and 
lighted candles, by another of the revelers — and 
altogether such clever and diverting tricks w r ere 
accomplished as I had never before witnessed. 

Morton must have seen my look of wonder, for 
during a momentary lull, he said to me. 

‘ 4 Faith, sir, being from London, you might well 
recognize some of these merry knaves. They 
have often been seen in the streets there, strolling 
players, minstrels, mummers, rope-dancers, and 
what not. A motley company, you would say! 
Ay, truly!” 

“But, come!” he went on. “Tell me now, 
what heard you across the bay yonder of a certain 
'Lord of Misrule’ ?” 

“Sooth, sir, they give you no flattering recom- 
mendation,” I answered frankly. “ Master Maude, 
with whom I had some talk, declared you to be 
a most ungodly man.” 

“The drivelling, canting, humbugs!” 

‘ ‘ They call you a thorn i’ the flesh, a perpetual 
menace to their peace!” 

“Tush, sir, do not believe the lying hypocrites!” 
he cried with a quick flash of temper. “Leagues 
separate us. I go not near them. ’Tis that they 
would not have a human soul to laugh in the same 
hemisphere with them. Bum vitant stulti vitia, 
in contraria currunt* A plague upon their dismal 


* While fools avoid one error they fall into the opposite one. 

34 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


faces ! Is not mirth more philosophical than tears ? 
—What said they else?” 

“They tell also,” I went on, “of frequent bac- 
chanalian scenes where Indian maids perform 
unseemly dances.” 

‘ 4 Innocent as the frisking of lambs, sir, believe 
me!” he cried. “Certes, those dead-alives — may 
perdition seize them! — would cork up the very 
throats of the song birds and paint black the pretty 
wild roses and buttercups in the mead, had they 
their way about it. Out upon them for a crew 
of morbid and miserable fools! 

“But enough, sir! Even to think upon them 
gives one the vapors — What ho my merry fellows!” 
he shouted, turning to his company. “Stir! Stir! 
Fill up the cups! Send round the bowl! Here’s a 
toast for you! To the health of the sour-visaged 
Puritans! May the Lord make them to laugh and 
frolic in spite of themselves!” 

“Beshrew me, but that would be little to their 
health, I’m thinking!” observed Bodfish with a 
grin. “Lord, sir, the wretched, snuffling, Psalm- 
singers would sicken and die for the very sin and 
shame o’it.” 

A roar of maudlin laughter greeted this sally. 
The toast was drunk and Morton cried: 

“Another! Another toast! Replenish their good 
Crakstone! Be lively, man!— and when a fresh 
round had been poured — “To the health of our 
good guest, the honorable Richard Carthew! And 


35 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


here’s to the hope that he may decide to remain 
with us. Drink it deep, my merries!” 

This over, there followed another round of 
mirthful songs and antics, with, of course, accom- 
panying potations; and so must have slipped away 
an hour or more. 

At length growing weary of it all and feeling 
greatly fatigued, for I had had a stirring day, I ob- 
served to my host that I would fain snatch a few 
hours of rest. 

“Ho! Enough! enough! my hearts!” roared 
Comus to his roystering crew. ‘ ‘ Bethink you that 
on the morrow we hold our monthly revels at the 
Maypole. Come then, disperse! disperse! Go 
pickle your tongues and lungs in slumber, for by 
the Lord, the knave who shows himself not fine 
and fit with both, ay, and limber-legged as well, 
shall be despatched forthwith to snivel and whim- 
per the rest of his days out among the holy saints 
from Plymouth.” 

After this whimsical harangue, the mirth slack- 
ened and soon sunk to a murmur, as one by one 
those who were able rose and staggered from the 
hall. 

At this point my host also rose and led me 
towards a door at the end. 

Suddenly we heard a heavy knocking at the 
outer gate. 

“Who comes at this hour?” cried Morton, paus- 
ing a few steps from the exit towards which he was 
conducting me. 


36 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


A moment later the central door was flung open, 
and in strode no less a person than Gardiner, and 
behind him the man I had seen with him on the 
road. 

Here was a contretemps ! Quick as thought I 
stepped from the hall into the passage, and in the 
general movement had the good fortune to be un- 
observed ! 

“Ah, Sir Christopher, you are late abroad to- 
night! What’s to do?” I heard Morton inquire. 

“That which must be done speedily!” was Gar- 
diner’s sharp reply. “A word with you aside, 
good friend of Merry Mount.” 

“At your service, Sir Knight,” responded the 
other, moving up the hall. “Hey, there, John 
Chaddock!” — this to the other visitor — “if you 
be not dry of throat, my faith, you have changed 
mightily of late. On yon board you will find good 
remedy, man. Lay on!” saying which he dis- 
appeared with Gardiner into an inner room. 

Now what did the scoundrel here ? Seeing that 
there was no opportunity of overhearing their 
talk, I began to look about me for a way of escape. 
Moreover there had flashed upon my brain a wild 
sort of a plan for the maid’s rescue, for the ship 
containing his fair, young prisoner, must I thought, 
be waiting in the offing. 

After trying several passages, groping my way 
in the dark, and once stumbling with a thundering 
noise over a drunken knave who lay prone in the 


37 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


corridor, I at length came upon an exit, and pass- 
ing through this and the outer gate without chal- 
lenge, I was soon free of the place and hurrying 
toward the shore. 

I found the shallop in which I had been adrift 
still there; the incoming tide had almost set her 
afloat. I stepped on board, pushed off, and rowed 
quickly towards the ship, whose lumbering bulk 
I could discern through the gloom. 

Coming within a musket shot of her I stopped 
rowing and reconnoitered. I could see no one 
on deck. Evidently no watch had been con- 
sidered necessary and the sailors were keeping 
warm below, perchance snatching a brief nap 
before their coming voyage. 

With a slow muffled movement of my oars I 
brought the shallop up to the ship’s quarter. Still 
there was no movement on board. I made fast 
and clambered softly up. I peered cautiously 
over the bulwarks. There was no one to be seen. 
I climbed over and stood upon the deck. 

I had taken but a step or two in the direction 
of the cabin when suddenly a man rose out of the 
blackness in the fore part of the vessel and rushed 
towards me, shouting the alarm as he came. 

My first thought was to face the fellow and 
despatch him offhand, and I had half drawn my 
sword to do so, when hearing his companions 
hurrying up from the forecastle, I swiftly changed 
my mind. With a single bound I gained the rail 

38 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and leaped back into my boat. In another sec- 
ond I had her unfastened and was floating rapidly 
away. 

Now it had ever been my way to act swiftly 
upon impulse — I had not yet fully cleared the 
ship, when my glance falling upon the ornamental 
woodwork of the high stern overhead, it flashed 
upon me to seize a projecting ledge. The im- 
pulse was father to the act. I leaped up, hooked 
my fingers over the slight projection and hung on 
for life and all while the shallop drifted from under 
me away into the night. 

On the deck above me I heard the hasty stamp- 
ing of feet, followed by a blinding flash only a 
yard or so over my head, as one of the men dis- 
charged his pistol into the empty shallop. 

“I see no one!” exclaimed a gruff voice. 

“The fellow is hiding under the thwart, fool!” 
cried another. “Think you he is mad enough 
to stand up for a target?” 

“Bullets are good searchers,” said a third, and 
another shot rang out, followed, however, by no 
sound of a hit. 

There was some derisive laughter from the 
man’s companions, and presently, to my relief, 
they all retired forward, confident that their mys- 
terious visitor had taken himself off. 

Now my position was by no means a comforta- 
ble one. Clinging there to that ornamental ledge, 
my arms began to ache and stiffen. I strove to 


39 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

draw myself up to the rail above, but owing to the 
sheer build of the stern, this I was unable to do. 
I managed, however, to gaima slight foot-hold 
on some woodwork below, and this for a moment 
lent me some little ease. 

There was a row of square stern windows just 
above the level of my head, and after resting a few 
moments in my new position, I swung off again 
and drew myself up cautiously, until I could peer 
into the vessel’s cabin. What I saw was this: 

Seated in the further corner was Mistress Joan 
Forrest, her face buried in her hands and she sob- 
bing, while at her side was the lad Roslin trying 
to comfort her. His arm was laid lightly over 
her shoulder and he was talking in a low, soothing 
voice which reached me only in a murmur. 

I confess that the sight was not one of unalloyed 
pleasure for me. There came over me something 
like a twinge of jealousy. Ay, jealousy! — but 
next moment I was cursing myself for a meddling 
fool. What was this girl to me that I should be 
risking my life for her safety? Let her young 
lover protect her! Let the arm that caressed her 
fight for her; why put myself to trouble about it? 

And yet he was but a frail stripling to cope with 
such a villain as Gardiner. I dismissed the 
thought as selfish and quite unworthy of a gentle- 
man, and resolved that at all hazard I would stay 
by the maid, and if possible, guard her from the 
unspeakable harm that threatened her. 


40 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


While I was yet looking, the cabin door was 
thrown open and a man entered. 

“Halloa!” cried a voice which I immediately 
recognized as that of my late assailant. “Close 
quarters there, my young jackanapes! You mis- 
take Sir Christopher’s purpose, I’m thinking.” 

“Nay, Master Cole,” answered the youth not 
very boldly, “I was but soothing the maid.” 

“Ay, soothing!” said the mate with a significant 
grin. “A fair sounding word. But look you, 
sir, your master is due here anon, and like enough 
he’ll want to try his own hand at the game. So 
get you to your cabin and let the snivelling maid 
go to hers.” 

His tone was rough and harsh, and my blood 
boiled to knock the fellow down. Neither Roslin 
nor Mistress Forrest made any protest, however, 
but rose and retired as the mate had ordered. 

When the doors were closed upon them Cole left 
the cabin. 

It was but a moment after this when I caught 
the sound of dipping oars, and knew that Gardiner 
and Chaddock were returning from Merry Mount. 

Then it came to me that if I was to act at all, 
I must act without an instant’s delay. I tried one 
of the stern windows and was rejoiced to find it 
unfastened. Though small, I judged that the 
aperture was large enough to admit my body— I 
was of slender build in those days— and with much 
effort I succeeded in drawing myself up and 
crawling through. 


4i 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Without pausing to recover from my fierce ex- 
ertions, I crossed the cabin and without knocking 
opened Roslin’s door. 

“Hide me, quick!” said I, stepping inside, 
flushed and almost breathless. 

“Sir!” he cried, startled, “who are you?” 

“A friend of the maid who would save her,” 
and I stooped as if to secrete myself under his 
berth. 

“Nay, not here!” he interposed, with a strange, 
frightened look. “Not here!” 

“Where, then? — Be quick, man!” 

He pulled his wits together. 

“I know! I know!” he cried. “Follow me!” 
and he led me out into the cabin and through a 
narrow passage at the back, toward the vessePs 
hold. There, after a hasty search we found a 
space where I might remain in some comfort and 
without any immediate danger of discovery. 

We were not a moment too soon. We heard 
the bow of the boat scrape along the outside wall 
of my wooden prison only a few feet away, and 
then the scuffle of men clambering on board. 

“Go back, now,” I said to the youth. “If 
there is peril to the maid, let me know of it 
quickly.” 

He promised and then left me, and shortly 
afterward I heard the anchor being drawn up 
and the sails hoisted, and felt that we were making 
the open sea. 


42 


CHAPTER IV. 


IN WHICH BLOWS ARE STRUCK FOR MY LADY’S 
HONOR. 

It lacked, as I judged, only a little while to 
dawn. As I lay there in the dark hold of Chad- 
dock’s vessel, I had leisure to think over the many 
curious things which had chanced during the past 
few hours. Verily here was adventure enough 
crowded into a single night to last an ordinary 
lifetime, and more was promised anon. 

Musing thus, lying on my back on a pile of old 
canvas, I fell asleep. That I had strange and 
vivid dreams I well remember, but what the fancies 
were which chased each other through my excited 
brain I cannot now recall. I was aroused by 
someone shaking me gently and speaking to me 
in soft tones, and opening my eyes I saw by the 
faint light which stole through a number of air 
holes in the hatch overhead, the youth Roslin. 
He had come to tell me that all was well with the 
maid Joan, and to bring food. 

“What is the hour?” was my first question. 

‘ ‘ Close upon ten o’clock,” he told me. 

“Whereabouts are we?” 

“There is no land to be descried.” 

“But you have heard whither we are bound?” 


43 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Nay,” he said. “I know not.” 

“An’ it be Old England I shall scarce be sorry,” 
I said lightly, “for, of a truth, life among the Puri- 
tans, as I have found it, is a bit too exciting.” 

The lad smiled at this, then a moment later he 
said with a sigh : 

“Nor would I be sorry either. I have found 
little happiness here.” 

“Little happiness!” I exclaimed in surprise. 
“Ah, young sir, there be those who would ex- 
change their hopes of Paradise for the favor of a 
certain fair maid I wot of.” 

“She is not for me,” said the youth. 

“She loves you!” 

“Nay, it cannot be!” he cried with a strange 
despair in his tone. “Would God that it could, 
that — that — But, sir, I may not stay here in 
talk longer, I shall be missed.” 

When he had left me I fell to thinking over his 
words, wondering what they could mean. Surely 
he loved the maid Joan — how could one see her 
and not love? And how could one comfort her 
as he had comforted her there in the cabin, and 
not wish to be at her side forever? 

Then it came to me that perchance he had cried 
out thus because he was bound to a powerful mas- 
ter who had set his own heart upon the maid, and 
who had seized her and now held her in such case 
that the helpless youth might well make moan that 
she was not for him. Surely thus it stood, I told 


44 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


myself, and forthwith a great pity for the lad came 
over me, and I resolved that I would do what I could 
to bring these two together, yea, even though in the 
task I strained my own heartstrings beyond all 
mending. 

In my gloomy, ill-smelling prison the hours 
passed slowly and dispiritingly. Nothing was to 
be seen and little heard, save the tramping of feet 
overhead and occasionally the scuttling of rats 
along the bottom close by. 

A few gleams of sunshine penetrated through 
the hatch, and in the light of these I tried to read 
from a little book of Master Shakespeare’s plays 
I carried about with me. But I soon found this 
to be too great a tax upon my eyesight, so I gave 
it up and lay back again upon my canvas. 

More than anything I missed my pipe, and 
gladly would I have given the little all I possessed, 
and that lay deserted at Master Maude’s house in 
Shawmut, could I but have had my trusty com- 
panion to soothe and comfort me in. those dreary 
hours. 

The morning passed in this quietness, and a 
goodly portion of the afternoon. I felt for the 
food Roslin had brought me, and bestowed some 
of it upon my appealing appetite. 

I judged that Gardiner and Captain Chaddock 
had already done the same in the cabin; indeed, 
I could hear a murmur of voices from that direc- 
tion, and also a clinking of glasses which suggested 
that they were enjoying a more copious repast. 


45 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Where was the maid, I wondered. Had Sir 
Christopher been delicate and diplomatic? Had 
he quieted her fears ? Was she dining with them ? 

As if in answer to these questions, immediately 
I heard the sound of knocking from the cabin. 
Then loud voices reached me. Again the knock- 
ing, and again the voices, this second time still 
louder. 

“By heaven, you shall !” I heard Gardiner ex- 
claim in angry tones, and the next moment there 
was a crashing sound as of a heavy body projected 
against a door. 

This was followed by a cry of fear. It was the 
maid’s. 

Starting up, I groped my way toward the open- 
ing, my heart, meanwhile, pounding in my breast 
with excitement and anger. 

Ere I reached it the cry rang out again, but the 
next instant I dashed into the cabin. 

John Chaddock sat in his chair too stupidly 
drunk to move. Gardiner flushed with wine and 
with the devil gleaming in his eyes, had seized 
Joan roughly by the arm and was dragging her 
from her small room, the door of which he had 
broken in. Roslin was at his master’s side, 
vainly trying to restrain him from violence. 

All this I saw with the rapidity with which one’s 
eye takes in a scene by lightning flash — and then 
I had Gardiner by the throat. I hurled him back 
with all my force, so that he staggered for several 
paces and all but fell. 


46 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Damnation!” he exclaimed, grasping his 
sword. “Who is here?” 

“Villain!” I cried, facing him. “Dastard!” 

“Insolent meddler! Who are you? Speak, 
ere I cut your heart out!” he snarled, advancing 
on me threateningly. 

“We have met before, base knight,” I answered, 
standing ready for his attack. 

“Then, by heaven, we shall not meet again!” 

Saying this he made a furious thrust at me, 
which, however, I parried and returned, wounding 
him slightly in the wrist with my point. 

“Curse you!” he cried, his face livid with rage. 

Then we were at it in deadly earnest. Our 
rapiers clashed, then hissed and writhed like slen- 
der living fiery serpents. Thrust and parry and 
riposte; counter, parry and thrust followed each 
other with lightning rapidity to the music of grind- 
ing steel on steel. We were not ill-matched as 
swordsmen, and now one of us gained a little and 
now the other, yet after several minutes of this 
fierce play neither seemed to stand at any decided 
advantage. 

I have said that we were not ill-matched. Sir 
Christopher, I am fain to confess, had something 
of the upper hand of me in skill, but against this I 
had youth and some superiority in strength. 
Neither of us, however, were up to condition, for 
my opponent was unsteadied by wine, while I was 
cramped by my recent confinement in the hold. 


47 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


A quick glance toward Mistress Joan and I saw 
her standing at the door of her cabin, waiting pale 
and trembling upon the issue. The sight nerved 
me, but at the same time my indiscretion in taking 
my eye off Gardiner’s was well-nigh my undoing. 
I felt Sir Christopher’s point enter my left shoulder, 
pricking through to the bone. The sting of it 
drove me to fury. I pressed my attack with so 
fierce a vigor that he gave way before me for many 
paces. My onslaught was breathless, irresistible. 
I followed him close, plying upon him trick after 
trick of my school in quick succession. — Some of 
them were new to him — they seemed to bewilder 
him — he became wild in his defence — I saw my 
advantage, and in another second or two had as- 
suredly ended the fight, but that just then the un- 
looked-for happened — the cabin door was pulled 
open by someone outside. I was facing it, and 
the sudden glare of light in my eyes disconcerted 
me. My lunge lost precision — and in an instant 
I stood disarmed and at my opponent’s mercy. 

The next thing I knew Gardiner’s point was at 
my breast, and he about to make the thrust. 

Then came a cry of terror from the maid. She 
ran forward and flung herself on her knees before 
Sir Christopher. 

“ Spare him! Oh, do not, do not kill him!” she 
pleaded . 

“Diable! And why should I not, fair mistress,” 
asked he, with a gleam of triumph in his eye. 
4 4 Is he lover of thine?” 


48 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


‘‘Nay, sir,” she replied stoutly. “I did but 
meet him for the first time yesterday.” 

“How came he here?” 

“Sir Knight, I know not. My surprise is no 
less than your own.” 

“His name then?” 

She looked at me, and I saw that she feared to 
answer lest she might betray me. 

“It is no great secret,” said I. “I am called 
Richard Carthew.” 

I saw his eyes flash with sudden anger, and felt 
the sharp prick of his rapier in my breast. 

“I like not that name!” he cried savagely. 
“Know you ought of one Sir Giles Carthew?” 

“I have the honor to be his nephew.” 

Then thought I that his steel had gone home 
for sure, but the maid cried out again pleadingly, 
and her voice seemed to stay him, to give a new 
turn to his thoughts. 

“My faith!” he muttered with a strange far off 
look in his eyes. “Things turn about oddly 
enough! Giles Carthew. Ha!” 

What he meant by these words I knew not then 
and not till long afterward, but I guessed, and 
guessed aright, that there was a woman in the 
matter, of whom the maid speaking had suddenly 
reminded him. 

Still keeping his sword-point at my breast, 
Gardiner now turned to Joan, bidding her rise. 
There was a touch of triumph in his tone as though 
he was about to wipe off some old score. 


49 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


'‘Look you now, fair mistress,” said he, “that 
which is worth having is worth paying for.” 

“What mean you?” she inquired with a startled 
look. 

“Plainly then, Mistress Joan, what will you 
give for this hot-headed fool’s life?” 

“You well know, sir,” replied the maid, “that 
I am here without purse or means.” 

“Nay, by the gods, you lack neither. A purse 
have you that has inexhaustible means.” He 
gave her a quick glance of such import as to make 
her start back in affright. “The purse of kisses, 
fair mistress.” 

At this insult to the pure, innocent girl, my blood 
boiled. I could not contain myself. With a sud- 
den motion aside I evaded his rapier and sprang 
toward the villain to throttle him. But before I 
could accomplish my purpose, I was seized from 
behind, my arms were held in a vice-like grip, and 
a voice that I remembered said mockingly : 

“We meet again, Master Carthew, and by the 
Lord, sir, this is getting to be a favorite posture of 
ours.” 

The speaker was Cole. 

“Ay, coward!” I hissed, striving to turn upon 
him. “You dare not face one like an honest 
foe!” 

“Strike, sir,” cried the fellow, addressing Sir 
Christopher. “Strike, and finish it!” 

But Gardiner’s mind was now firmly set upon 
his other plan. He bade Cole stand back, 


50 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Come, mistress, your answer!” he said impa- 
tiently. 

The poor young maid, thus put to it, stood be- 
fore us all painfully embarrassed. I knew she 
hated the villain, loathed him, and that what he 
would have her do was worse than torture to her. 

“Come!” he urged, advancing his sword again. 
“A kiss or his life!” 

There was no mistaking the scoundrel’s deter- 
mination. He woud have one or the other, my 
life or the price, that was beyond a moment’s 
doubt. 

Existence was sweet enough to me. 

A soldier risks his life again and again, and 
glories in it, but he would not die in this fashion, 
disarmed, helpless before his enemy. 

Looking around in the pause my eye fell upon 
Roslin. His face was white, and his lips twitched 
with suppressed passion. Ah, he loved her! He 
must love her! Why else this fierce anger?- A mood 
seized me. With a quick turn toward Joan, I cried : 

“Nay, my lady, I forbid it — I! You shall not 
purchase my poor life at this cost ! Come, coward! 
miscreant!” I turned to Gardiner — “Strike me, 
with whom you have a quarrel, not the innocent!” 

At this taunt he went white, straightened up, 
and drew back his arm for the thrust. 

“Hold!” cried my lady. 

Her tone was no longer one of pleading, but of 
command. 


5 1 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


In that brief moment her fair girlhood seemed 
to have dropped from her as a garment, and she 
stood before us in all the beauty and dignity of 
womanhood. There was that in her air and man- 
ner which was austere and queenly. 

For a full minute she stood thus — I should 
never forget the sight though I lived a hundred 
years — then she seemed to relax a little as she 
said: 

“Be it so, Sir Knight — I will pay — and yet” — 
she smiled a faint, constrained smile — “and yet 
I would have the purchase extended a little — his 
life and liberty.” 

“Sooth!” said Sir Christopher, leering at her, 
“you women know well the value of your favors. 
Come, let it be two kisses — one for life, the other 
for liberty!” 

“Nay!” I again remonstrated. “Let it be 
none, my lady. Why should you?” 

She turned and smiled upon me. 

“Why should I not?” she asked — then, turning 
to Gardiner, “It is agreed, sir.” 

Sir Christopher sheathed his sword. “With- 
draw all!” he commanded, with a sweeping glare 
around. 

“They must remain!” cried my lady imperi- 
ously. “They must witness the purchase!” 

4 ‘ It matters not a jot,” he said lightly, advancing 
toward her. 

His face was flushed with evil desire, his eyes 


52 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


gleamed hellishly, the vile monster. I prayed to 
heaven for power to kill him with a look, but the 
power came not. 

She gave him her fair young face, and he polluted 
it with two libidinous kisses. He would have 
taken more, in defiance of their agreement, but 
she broke from him and fled back to her own 
cabin. 

4 4 You are free, sir!” he said rudely, turning to 
me. 

4 4 My sword,” I said, making a motion to pick 
it up. 

He kicked it aside. 

4 4 It is not in the compact! I shall keep it. Go 
on deck, Master Carthew. You sleep forward 
with the men.” 

Sullenly, and vowing vengeance in my heart, I 
left the cabin. As I went out I glanced again at 
Roslin. His face was livid. Ay, surely he loved 
her. 


53 


CHAPTER V. 


I ENTER INTO A PLOT AND MEET WITH A 
SURPRISE. 

My first thought in getting forward among the 
men was to inquire whither the Welcome was 
bound. This none of the sailors seemed to know, 
or else, which is more likely, they had been warned 
by Cole not to inform me on any point touching 
our destination. I succeeded in learning one 
thing, however, which was that our vessel was 
steering south by east, though to what port this 
would eventually bring us, I knew not. 

I ate my supper in the forecastle with the men. 
There was here the same constraint upon them, 
and they said but little, addressing me only when 
it was absolutely necessary; but for this I cared 
nothing. The meal over I returned to the deck, 
and after musing awhile and longing again for 
the solace of my pipe, I went below and turned in. 

More than once that night I started up from my 
sleep thinking I heard a cry. Each time I listened 
intently, but hearing nothing save the stertorious 
breathing of the men beside me, I was forced at 
last to conclude that my alarm was due only to the 
illusions of a superactive fancy. 

A little before dawn I heard the watch changed, 


54 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and Master Cole came down, turned in, and was 
soon fast asleep. 

Being now wakeful and restless I arose, dressed 
myself, and started to go on deck. As I passed 
Cole’s berth, I had a sudden itching of the fingers 
to drag the cowardly, treacherous scoundrel from 
his berth and thrash him within an inch of his life ; 
but the thought came in time that such an act 
would be of no practical benefit, and might, in- 
deed, involve me in such a way that I would be 
powerless to protect the maid in case of further 
danger. So swallowing my desire for revenge I 
passed on, and emerging from below I went and 
leaned over the rail, gratefully drinking in the 
cool air and gazing away over the broad waste of 
waters. The slow rising sun had yet hardly begun 
to tinge with its first faint glow the eastern horizon. 

It is at this hour, this travail hour of night, as 
I have heard, the life current in our veins flows 
most sluggishly. This bodily condition reacts 
upon our minds, and even to those of us with whom 
all is going well, there comes at this hour a vague 
feeling of apprehension, a vision of the futility of 
all human plans and endeavors, of the vanity of 
the things that are. It is at this hour, they say, 
most of the self-murdered go forth, go forth to face 
they know not what, yet something that looms 
less terribly before them than in the dawn-dusk 
looms the illusion terrors of the coming day. Is 
it strange, then, that as I stood there with slow 


55 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

pulsing heart and the great loneliness of the sea 
upon me, and mused upon our hard case, with all 
its dangers and heart entanglements, that I could 
foresee no fair issue out of it, no way of escape ? 
The wonder is that I did not cast myself over the 
side and make an end to it all. 

Suddenly I felt a hand upon my arm, and turn- 
ing I saw Roslin. 

“How now, lad!” I cried, a bit startled. “Is 
there anything amiss?” 

“Nay, all is quiet,” he answered. “Sir Chris- 
topher sleeps and so does the captain.” 

“And the maid — ?” 

“Is safe in her cabin.” 

‘ ‘ Ay, but safe for how long ? By heaven, I am 
of a mind to make your master’s sleep an eternal 
one. Come,” I said, with a sudden impulse of 
anger, starting forward to carry out my threat. 

“You would not kill a man in his sleep?” pro- 
tested the youth. 

“To save her from shame and torture, yes.” 

“You shall not!” cried he, stepping in front of 
me, white to the lips. 

“Devise some other way, then, you fool!” I 
said hotly. “And be quick about it. This 
chance may not come a second time.” 

“I have been thinking upon it,” he responded. 
“I have been planning. His lips — his lips must 
not touch her again” — there was a passionate 
quaver in the tones. “Were there no other way 

56 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


I would kill him with my own hands!” he cried, 
fiercely. 

“What other plan have you?” I asked eagerly, 
for of a truth, I was glad enough to shake off the 
thought of stabbing a defenceless man, even 
though he was a black-hearted villain, and a maid’s 
honor was at stake. 

“Listen!” he said. “Not in this far land of 
America alone have I known unhappiness. In 
Spain and Italy, traveling with this man, I have 
had hours hardly less bitter than those of yester- 
eve.” 

The remembrance of these experiences rushed 
over him, and for a moment he seemed unable to 
proceed. 

* 4 Why do you remain with him, then ?” I put in. 

“Why! Why! Oh, God!” cried the youth, de- 
spairingly, and he buried his face in his hands 
and broke into a pitiful sobbing. 

My heart was touched for the lad, and I laid 
my arm across his shoulder with a gentle pressure 
of sympathy. 

“Once I resolved upon ending it all with poison,” 
he went on presently. “I would kill myself and 
thus save myself from further agony. But ere I 
could use it hope — something within — stayed my 
hand from self-murder. But ever since I have 
carried the means with me. See!” and he drew 
from his pocket a small phial. 

“What, you would poison him, then?” 


57 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Nay,” he replied, “said I not that there was 
another way than his death! This drug has a 
graded effect. Six drops will kill, three will bring 
a stupor on the senses. Sir Christopher will crave 
no more kisses while I am his cup bearer; and 
ere the drug is gone, God help that rescue may 
come.” 

“Tis well!” said I. “I desire no man’s death, 
but only the safety of the maid.” 

“And now, Master Roslin,” I continued, “what 
heard you of orders concerning me?” 

“Only this,” he responded. “You are not to 
hold converse with Mistress Forrest or approach 
the cabin. For me, I may not talk with you 
openly, but I shall be here again at this hour on the 
morrow, and now, sir, till tomorrow, adieu.” 

“Bear my respects to Mistress Joan,” I told 
him, and with a sign that he would do so, he went 
quietly back into the cabin. 

Somewhat relieved in mind, albeit, having no 
great faith in the youth’s plan, which seemed but 
a doubtful expedient and which did not strongly 
appeal to me, I went below and managed to snatch 
a few hours more sleep. 

Seeing nothing of Gardiner that day, though 
the maid and Roslin appeared on deck, I ventured 
toward evening to speak to the captain concerning 
him. 

“Sir Christopher is well, I trust, Master Chad- 
dock?” 


58 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“He is not ill, sir,” said the captain, sullenly. 

“It is too fine a day for a well man to remain 
below,” I went on. 

“Master Gardiner is well, sir. If he prefers 
to rest below, who is there to forbid him?” 

“Ay, who indeed?” I responded calmly. 
“Who, indeed, Master Chaddock? Convey to 
Sir Christopher, if you please, sir, my inquiry and 
best wishes.” 

Chaddock did not reply to this, and I left him 
scowling and went forward. 

When I met Roslin on deck the following morn - 
ing, I did not need to be told that his ruse was suc- 
cessful. The drug had worked to perfection, 
rendering Gardiner drowsy and utterly disinclined 
for anything like action or excitement. He had, 
indeed, remained most of the day in his berth. 

Another day passed in a like manner, and again 
I held rendezvous with the youth on deck. He 
brought me a kind message from the maid each 
time, and we had some talk about her and about 
the drug, which was rapidly being used up. 

After he had left me on the fifth morning, I was 
returning to the forecastle, as was my wont, when 
I saw a man step noiselessly from behind the mast 
near which we had been talking, and steal quickly 
back toward the cabin. 

“A listener, by heaven!” thought I. 

It was too late to warn Roslin, he had already 
disappeared. I went below, and passing Cole’s 


59 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


berth, I observed with dismay that it was empty. 

That day was an anxious one. At every mo- 
ment of it I was prepared for a tragedy. As the 
hours passed, however, I began to feel more easy 
in mind. Perchance, thought I, the fellow had 
not overheard anything of a compromising nature 
after all. 

It was growing along toward dusk before any- 
thing occurred to confirm my early fears. Possi- 
bly it was because Gardiner had not before this 
recovered sufficient vitality to act — at any rate, 
late in the day up he came, followed by Cole and 
the captain. 

At a glance I saw that the game was up, that our 
plot was discovered. Gardiner was pale and hag- 
gard looking, but there was a look in his eye which 
boded ill for someone, and I doubted not that 
someone was myself. 

Advancing to the edge of the poop deck, he sent 
Cole forward with the message that he would 
speak with me. Without any great haste I obeyed 
the summons. 

“Master Carthew,” he said, with a mildness of 
tone that sounded ominous, “I have kept faith 
with you, have I not?” 

“I have made no complaint,” I replied. 

‘ ‘ I have spared an enemy,” he went on. “ And 
how, sir, have you repaid me?” 

“What mean you?” 

“You have entered into a dastardly conspiracy 


60 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


against my life. You have tried to poison me.” 

“It’s a lie!” I cried hotly. 

“It's truth, by God! Your plot has been over- 
heard, your accomplice caught in the very act of 
dropping the deadly drug into my cup.” 

4 ‘Sir Christopher Gardiner,” said I, drawing 
myself up, “I am a soldier, not a murderer.” 

“Enough, sir!” he cried, “Your fine airs will 
not avail you. Now, sir, listen! The mind is on 
me to string you up and afterward throw your body 
to the sharks yonder — but I have given my promi- 
se — life and liberty. And you shall have both!” 

“Ay, by the Eternal!” he went on, waxing more 
furious and raising his voice so that it must surely 
be heard in the cabin. “You shall have your fill 
of liberty, you fool, you marplot, you assassin; 
and the traitorous youth, your accomplice, shall 
enjoy it with you. Chaddock, lower the shallop.” 

“Nay,” I remonstrated, seeing what he was 
about to do. “’Tis an undue punishment as 
heaven is my witness, but let it fall on me alone. 
Expose not the frail lad to the rigor and peril of 
the sea in an open boat. Put not such a blot, Sir 
Knight, upon your humanity.” 

“He shall go, I have sworn it! He shall go!” 
cried Gardiner with another fierce oath. “And, by 
heaven, were it not that I had some feeling for 
him on account of his many years of good service, 
caught red-handed as he was, he should not escape 
so easily.” 


61 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Meanwhile his orders were being carried out, 
and the boat was lowered and in a small way pro- 
visioned. This consumed several minutes during 
which the knight strode angrily up and down the 
poop deck. 

“Call up the lad,” he said to Cole, when all 
was prepared. It was by this time quite dark. 

Roslin evidently had overheard what had passed 
for scarcely had he been called when he appeared 
at the companionway cloaked and ready. His 
face was buried in his hands and he was sobbing 
bitterly. 

“You have heard the sentence, ingrate,” said 
his master sternly, “so much the better, I shall 
not have to repeat it. Over the side with you!” 

The youth uttered never a word of pleading 
or protest, which I thought was rather strange, 
but without hesitation did as directed, I follow- 
ing. I, too, was silent, utterly disheartened, not 
at any misfortune of my own, but that I had to 
leave the maid Joan wholly at the villain’s mercy. 

As the mate pushed off the little boat, cruelly 
consigning us to the terrors of the open sea, Gar- 
diner laughed a sneering, triumphant laugh and 
flung a taunt after us. 

“Life and liberty, you meddling fool! Ha! Ha! 
You’ve got them! You’ve got them!” 

In a few moments we were floating far behind. 
The Welcome faded into the dark and we were 
alone on the boundless ocean. 


62 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


I sat in silence and with a heavy heart, watching 
the last trace of the ship which had so cruelly 
deserted us. When I could see her no longer I 
turned toward the youth Roslin, who was sitting 
in the stern sheets in an attitude of despair. 

‘'Come, lad,” I said, forcing a little cheer into 
my tones. “Do not weep. All may yet be well!” 

A sob, and a little helpless cry of “Heaven 
help us!” broke from my companion. 

“God’s mercy!” I cried. “It is Joan!” 


^3 


CHAPTER VI. 

MY LADY HAS A DREAM. 

I must not be expected, I, a plain soldier, 
with unskilled and unpracticed pen, to get perfect 
verbal order from the chaos of feelings that stirred 
within me upon making the startling discovery 
which I have just recorded. My first sensation 
after recovering from my surprise was, I think, 
one of thankfulness for our escape from the clutches 
of Gardiner. This was succeeded, or rather sup- 
plemented, by one of delight for the maid’s com- 
panionship, and that, in turn, by some apprehen- 
sion as to the outcome of our perilous adventure. 

What the maid’s feelings were I know not, but 
among them I thought must be sorrow at thus 
parting from the youth she loved. 

The sea was not high, and our little craft rode 
the waves with an easy, undulating motion that 
was quite soothing, as to the restless infant is the 
rocking of his cradle. 

After my exclamation of astonishment, neither 
of us spoke for several minutes, not, indeed, until 
after I had set the small sail they had put on board 
for us, and we were running with fair speed before 
the light breeze. 

“Mistress Forrest,” said I at length, “I fear 
me I am but a clumsy champion. It seems I do 
but help you from bad to worse.” 


64 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Nay, sir/’ she responded, in a tone that did 
not belie her words. “Reverse it. Sooner a 
thousand times would I perish here than remain 
where I was but now.” 

“Thank God for that,” said I, with great 
earnestness, “and thank you, too, my lady, for 
words that are balm to a sore spirit.” 

“You have been very kind, sir,” she went on. 
“You have run into great peril for me. Why?” 

I was silent. 

“Why have you done it?” she urged. “What 
am I to you?” 

Still I hesitated to reply; not that words did 
not come, but that — must I confess it? — they 
were of an import which would have proved me 
traitor to my vow concerning Roslin. So, sternly I 
bade my heart be still, and at last I said. 

“My Lord Howard, your uncle, my lady, 
has treated me with much kindness. Can I do 
less than repay it thus?” 

“Nay,” I added quickly. “I trust I need 
not even this incentive. What true man woul 
do less for one so persecuted and so fair?” 

“Ah!” she said, with some of that gayety which 
was hers when I met her that day upon the road. 
"Ever ready with the pretty turn of speech, the 
pleasing compliment. Sir, I forbid you!” 

“Forbid the birds to paean to the sun,” * 
laughed. “Ha, my lady, I have you here at iu 
mercy!” 


65 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Sir,” she said, with mock sternness. “I am 
a woman. You cannot frighten me with such 
threats.” 

Again I laughed as once before I had laughed 
at her bright retort — but now under how differ- 
ent circumstances ! * 

The human mind is a singularly complex thing. 
I have seen men and women weep when they 
should have laughed, and laugh when they should 
have wept — and perhaps this light and almost 
frivolous humor of ours in the face of a terrible 
situation, may seem no mean instance of the same. 
With the evening gloom hanging like a pall over 
our tiny boat, the awful deep below, and leagues 
of lonely sea upon either hand, we might well 
have given way to despair — and yet, mayhap, our 
easy mood was not so very wonderful after all. 
Consider! we were no shipwrecked mariners forced 
from security into sudden peril; nay, rather had 
we come through peril into comparative security. 
And for this, and the better reason that we were 
young and of buoyant natures, we could find it 
in our hearts to laugh in the very teeth of our 
troubles. 

“But come,” said my companion, her humor 
suddenly changing. “For a brief moment I was 
in my Lord’s ball-room in dear old England, ban- 
tering words with a pleasant partner. Now, 
again, am I here in peril on the open sea. What’s 
to come of it, sir?” 


66 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“God knows,” I said, my mood again respond- 
ing to hers, and we relapsed into silence. 

About an hour, as I judged, after we had been 
set adrift, the moon rose and gave us the com- 
panionship and consolation of her beams. It 
cheered our hearts as the sun cheers, bursting 
forth on a gloomy day. I gazed around, hoping 
for the sight of a ship, any ship save the one which 
had lately been our prison ; but I could see nothing 
save the vast dark spread of the waters, and upon 
it the waving, shimmering moonlight which, to 
my fancy, seemed the writing of an Almighty 
hand. 

Looking again toward Mistress Joan, I saw that 
she appeared faint, and could scarcely keep her 
head up. 

“Are you ill, my lady?” I inquired anxiously. 

“No, sir,” she replied, rousing. “I am not 
ill, but oh, so tired! For terror of that man I 
have scarce closed my eyes for three days and 
nights.” 

“The scoundrel! He shall settle up for all these 
things some day!” I vowed vehemently. “But 
what hinders that you rest now, my lady? The 
waves are not threatening. Ay, sleep — God’s 
hand rocks the cradle, and He and I will watch 
over you. ” 

The night being balmy, I removed my coat and 
folded it for her pillow. Then as she reclined 
in the bottom of the shallop, I gently tucked her 

6 ? 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


cloak about her, less because she needed it, than 
for the delight there was in the doing it. 

“Good night, and fair dreams, ” I said. 

“Good night,” she answered sweetly. ‘*You 
are very kind,” and with a long indrawing of her 
breath she passed into the happy realms of sleep. 

All through the night I watched while she slum- 
bered. So worn was she with weariness that she 
scarcely stirred in all those hours. Once she 
gave a little start and murmured as with pleasure. 
I sat leaning forward, my head upon my hands, 
musing. My thoughts were not of the happiest — 
and yet, I think, they were not unhappy, either, 
for with a sweet sorrow they dwelt upon golden 
things that, alas, might never be. I know, at any 
rate, that they were not ungrateful to my mind, 
for when at last dawn smiled upon me with her 
ruddy face, I gave her no welcome, but still would 
have the darkness and my own lonely musings. 

Joan did not wake until the sun was well up in 
the heavens. I had no means of telling the exact 
time, but judged the hour to be six o’clock. I 
had been straining my gaze away to the right, 
fancying I saw land there, and when, believing 
that I was mistaken, I turned from looking, I 
saw Mistress Forrest sitting up and gazing around 
her in wild-eyed bewilderment. 

“ Where am I?” she began — and then with a 
queer little shake of her pretty head, she seemed 
to get her senses. “Ah, yes,” she said, “I 


6 $ 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


remember now. But I have had such a lovely 
dream.” 

“Tell it to me,” said I, glad of every opportu- 
nity to keep her mind off our troubles. 

“Oh, I seemed,” said she, “to be floating down 
a beautiful stream in a golden barge, such as they 
used on the Nile in Cleopatra’s time. On board 
there were musicians and players to amuse me, 
and slaves to fan me and wait upon my every 
wish. And the sun glinted beautifully on the still 
waters, and all along the banks were lovely flowers, 
which sent their fragrance out to me, and birds 
which trilled me their sweetest songs. And soon 
we came to a fair green island, and you were 
standing there — ” 

“I!” My heart thrilled at her words. 

“Yes,” she went on. “And we took you on 
board, and you talked to me, telling me many 
sweet things” — her eyes fell coquettishly as she said 
this — “and we floated on and on and on, and 
there was music and fragrance and the golden 
sunshine everywhere.” 

“Yes,” I said, eagerly, as she paused, “Go on!” 

“And then we seemed to come to the end of our 
journey, and landing, we were conducted to a 
beautiful palace, and at the palace gate to greet 
us stood — stood the dear lad Roslin.” Her face 
lit up. 

My heart sank. The end was Roslin, I was 
only the incident. Ah, me! 

69 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

“And then?” I asked. 

“And then it all seemed to fade. I awoke, and 
knew not where I was. Ah, but poor Roslin. 
He was so good to me. I pray that no harm has 
come to him.” 

Did I, at that moment, encourage the hope that 
Gardiner, in the sudden fury that must have come 
upon him when he discovered that Joan had 
escaped, had killed the youth, had removed him 
from my path forever? I fear almost. 

The day was a glorious one, lustering the sea 
with sunshine, and the fine weather kept us from 
falling into depression of spirits. We had, as yet, 
suffered no privation to speak of, and fortunately, 
as I have said, we both possessed that happy tern- 
perament which refuses to goad the willing hours 
with worry. What folly, say I, to fret for a gap 
in the road ahead, when, like as not, ere we reach 
it, a kind Providence will have levelled it to our feet. 

Seeing that my fair companion would rise 
from the bottom of the shallop where she had 
been sleeping, I bestirred myself to assist her to 
her feet. As the cloak which had covered her fc 11 
away, she blushed to see that I had observed her 
boy’s disguise — for it had been necessary in carry- 
ing out the ruse, for her to don Roslin’s nether 
garments. Faith the sight was a ravishing one, 
and most loyally I paid to Beauty its tribute of ad- 
miring gaze. 

“ Shame on you, Master Carthew, to stare so,” 


70 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


she cried, with her cheeks aflame, and drawing 
the cloak hastily about her. Then she began to 
untie a little bundle she had brought with her. 

“Now, sir, turn your head away,” she com- 
manded. 

I laughed, and did as she bade me; and when 
on receiving her gracious permission, I looked 
again, she was standing up fully gowned as a 
woman. 

“Ha, my lady!” I cried, in a light humor, “so 
now you are a lad and now a maid. Can this be 
antiquity come again and you the changeful god 
Proteus? Belike I shall see you next floundering 
in the sea.” 

The boat just then encountered a wave rather 
larger than the rest and gave a quick lurch. Joan 
who was still standing, staggered, and came nigh 
to falling. 

“Oh!” she gave a little cry, half laugh, half 
scream. “Sooth, sir, an’ I sit not down, I shall 
be doing no less than you say.” 

She had scarcely finished speaking when there 
was a sudden glint of something white in the water 
a few yards away. It caught our eyes simulta- 
neously. It was a huge shark disporting in horrid 
significance around our boat. My lady’s smile 
faded quickly, and she shuddered. 

Away across the wilderness of waters, the white 
sails of a ship could be discerned. Slowly she 
came on towards us — oh how slowly! — and with 


7 1 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


her approach rose our hopes of a speedy* rescue. 
But although we made every possible effort to 
attract their attention, those on board saw not 
the tiny speck we made in that vast area of green 
and gold — a mere butterfly in a wheatfield, to use 
the figure — and the ship sped by miles away to our 
left. This was a sore disappointment for my 
lady; it told her better than words how desperate 
was our condition. She grew silent and melan- 
choly, nor was my own spirit of a sort from which 
I could extract much comfort or encouragement. 

The morning wore on. Gradually the white 
canvas of the ship that had passed took on the 
faded hue of distance, flattened, and passed at 
length the bound of our vision, and we were again 
left companionless upon an illimitable sea. 

The sun was by now pouring its fiercest rays 
down upon us. For Mistress Forrest’s protection 
I made shift to arrange a sorry shelter out of a 
small piece of canvas and the boat staff, which 
latter I broke in two and fastened angle- wise over 
her head as a framework for the other. 

It may have been half an hour after the ship 
had disappeared, swhen again I fancied I descried 
land ahead, this time a little to the right of our 
course. I pointed it out to Mistress Joan. 

“God grant that it may be so,” she said earn- 
estly, gazing in the direction I had pointed. “Yes, 
I seem to discern something.” 

For some minutes longer we continued gazing, 


72 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


our hearts beating with a wild hope, whilst our 
boat sped onward before the breeze. 

“Ay,” I cried at length. “It is land; there’s 
no doubt of it. I have traced its outline. It is 
an island.” 

Joan brightened immediately. 


73 


CHAPTER VII. 


IN WHICH I GET A GLIMPSE OF FORTUNE. 

It was with no generous fare that Gardiner 
had supplied our little craft ; we found nothing but 
biscuit and water, and no great quantity of these, 
either. Yet for so much, even, we were now 
thankful, and as we sailed on towards our place 
of refuge, we broke our fast, both of us eating the 
simple fare with a true relish. 

The wind was light, and we did not reach the 
island until early in the afternoon. Approaching 
it we saw a line of reefs which, in a rough sea would 
have been very threatening, but in the present con- 
dition of the weather could be threaded without 
any considerable danger. 

As we drew in I took down the sail and got out 
the oars, deeming this method of propulsion the 
safer in such treacherous waters. We passed the 
breakers without mishap, and at length our boat 
touched land. Immediately I stepped ashore and 
held out my hand to Mistress Joan. 

“Your dream, my lady,” said I lightly, “be- 
hold the barge, the island, and your humble slave, 
myself.” 

She laughed merrily. 

“Sooth!” she replied, “save in one part his but 
a poor realization, Master Carthew.” 


74 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“’Tis the ungracious way of things,” said I, — 
“And the exception, my lady?” 

“Tut, sir! You ask questions like a woman. 
The island, of course. What other?” And with 
an arch and captivating smile she laid her small 
hand in mine and leaped ashore. 

After I had drawn up the shallop and taken out 
our small remaining supply of biscuit and water, 
we sat awhile on the sands and talked over the 
strange things that had happened. The maid 
seemed to take her troubles lightly enough, in- 
deed now that she was on land again she seemed 
quite to enjoy the novel experience of being a 
castaway. 

For me, I was merry and melancholy by turns, 
one moment cheerful, the next apprehensive and 
prone to worry over the outcome of our strange 
adventure, though for my companion’s sake I gave 
the latter feeling no tongue. 

After we had whiled away an hour or so in talk, 
for all the world like a couple of holiday makers 
on a pleasant little excursion, I rose to my feet and 
said : 

“The day is on the wane, Mistress Joan, and 
we have much to do. Shelter must be found, and 
I like not the appearance of yonder sky. ” 

“Ay,” she responded. “Since we have not 
Joshua’s power to stay the sun, we must bestir 
ourselves. ” 

“Nor have we the widow’s inexhaustible meal 


75 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


barrel,” I added, glancing at our small food supply. 
“It was a meal barrel, wasn’t it?” 

“Faith, sir, you know your Bible like a Puritan,” 
she laughed. 

I held out my hand and helped her to rise, and 
together we went and drew the shallop into a little 
sheltered inlet, where it was hidden from view and 
quite safe. This done, my lady and I started off 
on a tour of exploration. 

The island was apparently a large one, though 
there being a high ridge crossing the centre, we 
could not yet see just how extensive it was. Walk- 
ing at a good steady pace, we soon reached the foot 
of the ridge and began our ascent. We found 
ourselves confronted by no easy task. We had 
now to clamber up sheer masses of rock, clinging 
to the bushes that grew from the crevices, and now 
to force our way through almost impenetrable 
thickets. At the most difficult points I would go 
ahead to make a path for my lady, or turn and 
assist her over the steeper places. Then for awhile 
we would find our course easy, over a gently slop- 
ing plateau or through an open wood, till again 
Nature threw up her barriers in front of us. 

Once on rounding a bend in our path we were 
startled by a loud rustling sound ahead of us, and 
looking, we caught sight of eight or ten frightened 
animals scampering off to cover in the thicket. 
Shaggy-haired creatures they were, and I at once 
took them to be wild goats. The sight was a 

7 6 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


gratifying one, for we had begun to think that 
there was nothing alive upon the island from 
which we could hope to replenish our larder. So 
we went forward with easier minds. 

Reaching the top of the ridge and gazing east- 
ward, we discovered that our island was one of 
quite a considerable number, some of them of 
goodly size, others mere islets. Here on the sum- 
mit we stopped to rest after our fatiguing exer- 
tions, and to enjoy the grandeur of the scene about 
us. Never shall I forget the sight, or the impres- 
sion of that moment. The island seemed a mere 
pedestal under our feet; there we stood, two pig- 
mies, alone in a vast creation, the boundless blue 
circling above our heads, and under us, stretching 
away as far as the eye could see, the boundless 
green, each of these seeming an immense hemis- 
phere curving to meet its sister hemisphere — there 
we stood enclosed, as it were, in a mighty emerald 
and sapphire-tinted shell. 

I was aroused from my reverie by a little cry 
from my companion. 

“Look! are not those dwellings yonder?” 

“Dwellings!” 

Following with my gaze the direction of her 
pointing, I saw what seemed to be eight or ten 
low houses, grouped together near the shore at 
the foot of the ridge. 

“Come,” said I, and immediately we started off 
towards them. Descending was, of course, not 


77 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


so difficult a matter, and in a little more than half 
an hour we had arrived upon the spot. 

Houses they were in very truth, low, one-story 
buildings of rude construction; but there was no 
sign of life in the neighborhood, and our knocking 
brought no response from the inside. We tried 
the doors, found them unfastened, and went 
boldly in. The rooms were empty and deserted, 
and so had been apparently for many moons. 

There was one dwelling which stood a little apart 
from the others, and was somewhat larger and 
more ornate. 

“This, my lady,” said I, “shall be Forrest 
Manor.” 

“Nay, sir,” she replied. “Someone has fore- 
stalled you. See ! ” she pointed above the doorway. 
“It already has a name, Corners’ Hall.’” 

I looked, and true enough, there was the name 
she mentioned, rudely scratched upon the lintel. 

“By the saints!” cried I, the clue jogging my 
memory, “then we are on the Bermudas, and this 
is none other than the deserted colony of Gates 
and Somers.” 

“Tell me about it,” said Joan eagerly; where- 
upon I related to her what I had heard before 
leaving England — how that Sir George Somers 
and Sir Thomas Gates, on their way with a party 
of colonists to Virginia, had been driven to these 
islands and their ships wrecked. Here they had 
settled, but finding not here the advantages they 

78 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


desired, or perchance, hearing great reports from 
those of their friends who had reached Virginia, 
they built a new vessel, left these islands, and pro- 
ceeded to their original destination. 

I told her further how that Master Shakespeare 
had written a play called “The Tempest ” about 
these islands, and taking out my small pocket 
volume, I read to her some passages from it, among 
them that about “the still vex’d Bermoothes,” 
and that other speech of Ariel’s: 

The King’s son have I landed by himself : 
Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs 
In an odd angle of the isle. 

All this interested my companion greatly. 

“How romantic it all is!” she cried, clapping 
her hands with the glee of a child. “What a tale 
I shall have to tell when we get back home.” 

I noted with a feeling of intense pleasure that 
she said “when” and not “if”, thus showing, I 
flattered myself, that she had complete trust in 
me, and confidence in my ability to bring her 
safely through the dangers that encompassed us. 

Entering Somers’ Hall we found it better fitted 
and more comfortable than the rest of the houses, 
yet, like the others, a trifle damp. This I soon 
remedied. Going out I gathered as much as I 
could carry of dry wood, and luckily having my 
flint and steel about me, in a few moments had a 
fire kindled, which soon overcame the moist chilli 
ness of the place. 


79 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


It was now about the middle of the afternoon. 
Shelter having been found, our next thought was 
upon the question of food. I had brought our 
small stock of biscuit, no overweighting load, 
across the island with me, and apportioning this, 
we found that we should have enough to supply 
our needs for three days, or four at the longest; 
while our problematical larder consisted of shell- 
fish and the flesh of goats. 

Now as a youth I had held Robin Hood to be 
one of the finest of heroes, and admiring him I 
had often played the part of the bold outlaw, with 
my schoolfellows for Friar Tuck, Little John and 
the rest, and my fathers orchard for Sherwood 
Forest. And so it happed that I had come to be 
fairly expert with bow and shaft. Here, then, 
was the chance to test whether or no I had entirely 
lost my youthful skill. 

Going forth into the wood, I selected a good, 
springy sapling, and this together with some 
straight dead branches, I carried to Somers’ Hall, 
for Mistress Joan would help me. After consider- 
able work we rid the branches of projections, 
making passable arrows, whose tips we pointed 
and hardened by burning. The bow was an 
easier matter; I made shift of a string with my 
doublet lacing, and in a jiffy was Robin Hood 
again, or as Mistress Forrest would have it, Nim- 
rod, ready for the hunt. 

Before starting off to test my skill in archery, I 


80 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


gathered an additional supply of firewood for my 
lady’s use, enough for several hours. When I 
left her she was reclining on the settle, with her 
cloak folded under her head for a pillow, and feel- 
ing quite cheerful and comfortable. 

“You will be back ere nightfall ?” she asked. 

“ Surely, ” I answered. “ It’s a good four hours 
to that, and half the time will suffice if the goats 
prove any way accommodating. So au revoir, 
my lady! — nay, do not rise!” 

“Au revoir , then, good friend,” said she. “But 
be careful, be very careful that you go not into 
danger.” 

“Have no fear for me,” I replied reassuringly, 
and off I started. 

I had not gone far when I heard Mistress 
Forrest calling after me, and turning I saw her 
running up. 

“Oh, Master Carthew, pray leave me your 
Shakespeare,” she said. “You will scarce need 
it, and I would fain learn more about his play 
you were telling me of.” 

“Gladly,” said I, handing her the well-thumbed 
little volume. “ But let not Caliban frighten you.’ ’ 

“Caliban?” 

“You will find him there, ‘a freckled whelp, 
hag-born, not honored with a human shape.’” 

“But there be many others here,” she said, 
turning over the leaves. 

“True, there is Prospero and Miranda, and 
Gonzalo, all interesting folk.” 


81 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“And the King’s son who was left cooling the 
air with sighs!” 

“Ay, and the King’s son.” 

“I will make their acquaintance,” she said 
simply. “And now, sir, once more adieu, and 
be careful,” and, leaving me, she ran back again 
to the house. 

I stood and watched her as she tripped along 
the path to the Hall, and I thought how lovely 
she was and how graceful was her every move- 
ment. When she reached the door she turned and 
waved her hand to me, acknowledging which I 
bowed and made a courtly sweep with my hat. 
Then I faced about and proceeded on my way. 

When near the top of the ridge I observed away 
to the northward a black and ominous cloud. I 
was minded to turn back on seeing this, fearing 
a storm, but concluding that it might not break 
for a considerable time yet, I went on until I 
reached the summit. 

Here there was something else to engage my 
attention. In the offing ahead were two ships 
steering straight for our island. My feelings on 
beholding them it is not easy for me to describe. 
I felt glad, and yet sorry, glad because that the 
maid, who was unused to hardship, was so soon 
to be rescued; sorry that so sudden a termination 
was promised to our sweet and undisturbed com- 
panionship. As it proved, however, I had no 
occasion to feel either way. 


82 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


One of the ships, I noticed, was in advance of 
the other, and this one was of a rather peculiar 
construction. She was a large and lumbering 
craft, with a great deal of ornamental but clumsy 
top hamper. She was of such a build, indeed, 
as I have never seen before. 

Suddenly from the second ship, which was of 
ordinary shape, and which seemed to be much 
the swifter of the two, there broke a blinding burst 
of flame, followed by a tremendous roar, the roar 
of a cannon. On the instance up went the black 
flag, and at once I knew her for what she was, a 
bloody pirate. 

The first shot was followed by another, and then 
another in quick succession, and these the pursued 
vessel replied to, but it was plain from the sound 
that her metal was of much lighter calibre. 

On came the doomed ship straight toward the 
opening in the reefs, and, like a wolf after its prey, 
on came the pirate in close pursuit, the latter dis- 
charging shot after shot, and receiving but a feeble 
reply from her desperate quarry. 

Meanwhile the black cloud I had noticed was 
rapidly overspreading the sky; a dull, leaden dark- 
ness fell over everything. The pirate saw her 
danger and swung around, giving her chase a full 
broadside as she did so, then trimming her sails 
for the open sea. The other vessel staggered as 
the shots struck her, and swerved from her course, 
heading now straight for the rocks. Either the 

83 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


fierce hail of iron had disabled her, or else her 
crew had been terrified out of all use of their wits. 

Next moment the storm burst in all its fury. 
The squall fell upon the doomed vessel with the 
shriek of a thousand demons. It seemed to lift 
her bodily out of the water, then, as suddenly, 
dashed her down upon the cruel jagged rocks of 
the reef. I could hear above the howling of the 
storm, the rending of her timbers and the screams 
of terror from her crew, as she remained fixed there 
for a moment — then as the great mountainous 
waves hurled themselves upon her and forced her 
over the reef, where she filled quickly and went 
down, all was silent, save for the angry roar of the 
wind and sea. 

As for the pirate, I saw her for a moment labor- 
ing in fearful danger, and then she disappeared iti 
a great black cloud that swept the ocean and shut 
out everything from view. 

As the cloud rushed on toward where I was 
standing I heard the hissing of the rain and saw 
the fierce lightning, and I turned and fled for the 
shelter of the rocks. I reached them just in time. 
A few seconds later and I had been drenched and 
chilled, but luckily I quickly found a dry recess, 
and in this I remained until the storm had spent 
the greater part of its fury. 

It could not have been much before midnight 
when I reached Somers’ Hall, and I found Joan 
crouched in a corner of her room, shivering with 

84 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


fear and anxiety. And indeed it was little wonder; 
she had read “The Tempest,” not omitting Cali- 
ban, and this with the almost darkness 1 — for the 
fire was in its last embers — the howling of the 
storm, and the solitude, not to mention her fear 
for my safety, had thrown her into a condition 
verging on collapse. 

“Oh,” she cried, clinging to me, trembling. 
“Thank God you are safe, you are here! Oh, I 
was in such fear for you, such terror!” 

I put my arm about her and led her to the settle, 
and there we sat in that faint glow for many min- 
utes, I soothing her with low, gentle words, while 
her beautiful head reclined upon my breast, which 
beat out its tune of happiness like the quick, joyous 
throbbing of a festal drum. 

I would have sat thus all the night long, and 
counted myself more favored than a King upon 
his throne; but my lady, recovering from her 
anxiety and fright, seemed to edge away from me, 
and presently, as by some unaccountable magic, 
the erstwhile frightened, clinging maid, whom I 
had dared to caress, was transformed into none 
other than Mistress Forrest, niece of the great Lord 
Howard, of Durrimore Castle. 

“The storm is over, sir,” said she with a cold, 
dignified grace, rising and stepping to the door. 
“The stars are shining, and all is well. You need 
rest after your fatiguing journey. Good night!” 

“Nay,” said I, loath to relinquish so much 

85 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


rapture. “ Sooner would I watch while you slept. ” 

“That you did yesternight. You must be 
weary. Good night!” she repeated. 

“Good night,” I said, albeit rather sulkily, 
and went out. 

Entering the nearest of the deserted houses, I 
took off my coat, folded it for a pillow, stretched 
myself on the floor, and was soon fast asleep. 


86 


CHAPTER VIII. 


OUR SECOND DAY UPON THE ISLAND. 

Next morning I told Mistress Forrest of what 
I had witnessed from the hill — I had feared to men- 
tion it on my return lest the news add to her fright 
and perhaps disturb her rest — and she suggested 
that we set off at once for the wreck. After a scant 
breakfast this we did, and reaching the spot where 
we had landed, we found that, thanks to our pre- 
cautions, our shallop was not materially damaged 
by the storm. 

Of the lost ship there was not a vestige. The 
hungry waters had closed over her and her ill-fated 
crew, and it was as though they had never been. 
I was gazing out over the waves trying to locate 
the spot where the vessel had gone down, when 
I felt my companion’s hand upon my arm. 

“Look yonder,” she said, pointing. 

High up on the beach, about two hundred yards 
away, lay the body of a man. We went up to it, 
and saw that he was stone dead. 

It was the body of a young man, scarcely more 
than a boy, with a smooth face and delicate, even 
features, perhaps, thought I, the son of the ship’s 
captain or owner. 

“The poor young lad,” murmured Joan com- 
passionately. “Oh, how cruel is the sea!” 

8 7 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“It is calmer now,” I said. “He shall have a 
sailor’s burial.” 

“You mean to sink him in the sea?” asked Joan. 
“Nay, sir, that seems an unchristian way, since 
we have found him here upon the land. And then 
the sharks — ” she broke off and shuddered. 

“You are right, ” I responded ; “ earth to earth, ” 
and stepping a few paces inland we dug with flat 
stones a grave. It was no easy task, but we had 
occasion later to be glad of Joan’s suggestion, for 
it served to help us out of a great quandary. 

In an hour we had the grave deep enough, and 
with a prayer for the poor lad’s soul, we committed 
his body to the earth. 

Having performed this act of humanity, we 
strolled along the shore, stopping frequently to 
examine a number of small pieces of wreckage 
which lay scattered about. One of these possessed 
a particular interest for us. It was a broken strip 
with four ornamental letters carved upon it, 
SANT — , evidently a portion of the wrecked ves- 
sel’s name. 

“Santa something, no doubt,” said Joan, specu- 
lating upon it. 

“The ship and crew were Spanish,” I told her. 
“The sailor’s garb — everything points to that.” 

“Spanish!” 

“Ay, my lady, ” and then with a sudden thought, 
“belike a Spanish galleon laden with treasure.” 

“Then your fortune is made,” she cried, her 


88 


THE MAID AND THE MISCRENT, 


eyes lighting up. “ Oh, how glad I would be were 
it so. ,, 

For a moment I was silent, thinking. “What 
were fortune with no one to share it?” at length 
I said in a melancholy tone. 

“Tut, man, ’tis the best of all bait, ” she laughed. 

I confess that the words and the accompanying 
laugh jarred upon me. Joan seemed too pure, too 
true a woman to trifle on such a matter. 

“Ay,” I protested, “but what honest heart 
could care for the fish such bait would catch?” 

“True,” she responded, her mood suddenly 
changing, “I did but jest, believe me. For me 
there is no bait but honest love, tenderness, devo- 
tion. ” Her eyes grew soft and dreamy as she said 
this, and Jier thoughts seemed to have flown far 
away. Oh, happy Roslin, thought I, favored and 
happy angler. 

“Do you know where the ship went down?” 
asked my companion suddenly. 

“Not exactly,” I told her, “but doubtless, we 
could soon find the spot.” 

“Let us try then,” she cried eagerly. 

I helped her into the shallop, stepped in myself, 
and we started off on our search. Joan knelt in 
the bow peering down into the depths, while I 
rowed. 

Being inside the lagoon there were no heavy 
waves to bother us, though there came at times 
an irritating little ripple upon the surface which 


89 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


promised to baffle our search. I had been plying 
the oars for perhaps half an hour and was begin- 
ning to lag in my efforts, when suddenly Joan 
cried out to me to stop. I pulled up the shallop 
and looked over the side. There underneath us 
lay the unfortunate ship, careened in what may 
have been ten fathoms of water, her heavy timbers 
wrenched and her broken spars still clinging to her 
by their stout, tangled rigging. 

Even as we gazed down upon her a great hungry 
shark hovered above the wreck, and we could see 
at the upturned window of the cabin, a hideous 
bloated face glaring up at us. It was a horrible 
sight, and when I lifted my eyes from it and turned 
them towards Joan, I saw her looking pale and 
sick. 

Without a word I set out the oars again and 
rowed ashore. I sent the shallop straight ahead 
with a purpose, and we landed near a pointed 
rock, which I set firmly in my mind for a land- 
mark. 

I had brought over with us my bow and shafts, 
and though in coming across the island we had 
seen nothing of the wild goats, on our way back 
we were more fortunate. Joan was the first to 
catch sight of them. There was a score or more 
of them this time, and we came upon them crop- 
ping the short grass in the wood. 

We crept up cautiously under cover of the rocks, 
and I sent a shaft at them. It went wide of the 


90 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


mark, but falling with no great noise, it did not 
startle them, so I had a chance to try again. Se- 
lecting the youngest and smallest of the animals, 
I took the most careful aim, and loosing my string, 
the shaft struck the young goat square in the fore 
shoulder. At this the flock took alarm and were off 
like the wind. The wounded one sped after, the 
arrow still sticking in its flesh, but it stumbled at 
every few steps, and a moment later dropped sud- 
denly and lay kicking. A third arrow driven 
home to its vitals released the unfortunate creature 
from its misery. 

I saw that it went to my lady’s tender heart that 
we had to be thus cruel, but there was no help for 
it. Removing my coat that the blood might not 
stain it, and giving it to Mistress Joan to carry, I 
shouldered the dead game, and we marched home 
to Somers’ Hall. 


9i 


CHAPTER IX. 


IN WHICH WE RECEIVE AN UNWELCOME VISITOR. 

It was about midday when we arrived and our 
exertions had given us great appetites. Conscious 
of a replenished larder, we ate without stint of our 
simple biscuit fare, gloating in fancy over the fine 
roast of tender young goat’s flesh we should have 
ready by supper time. 

“I will cleanse the dishes,” said Joan merrily, 
gathering up the two shells we had used for water 
cups, “ while you, sir, will prepare the game and 
fish for to-night’s party.” 

“Nay,” I cried, playfully stopping her, “I will 
not have the mistress of the house soiling her fair 
hands with scullery work. It will suffice for you 
to take the venison, pastry, the jellies, cakes and 
wine back to the pantry.” 

“Oh, Master Carthew, don’t!” she groaned 
with a ludicrous expression; “please don’t, or I 
shall drop.” 

In sooth I was sorry now on my own account that 
I had mentioned these luscious edibles, for at the 
thought of them imagination seemed so to expand 
my stomach that the biscuits I had just eaten be- 
came as nothing in it. 

But a good relief for this and other miseries is 


92 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


to stir about, and I rose immediately and set to 
work gathering firewood, a generous supply of 
which I carried into the house. 

Joan meanwhile busied herself in a dozen little 
ways, for she was a very woman, and a woman 
will see things to do with the naked eye that a man 
could not find with a telescope. It’s the house- 
keeping instinct. I verily believe that women 
won’t be happy in heaven unless they are eternally 
dusting it, and tidying it up. And since by all 
accounts there are some men there, I doubt not 
the place will need it. 

I had deposited the carcass of the young goat in 
one of the smaller houses, and as soon as I was 
through gathering wood, I went there and dressed 
the animal, returning presently with a fine haunch 
ready for the fire. Amongst the few kitchen im- 
plements left by the previous occupants, we found 
an old poker which I cleaned thoroughly and used 
for a spit, and soon the haunch of young goat was 
sizzling over a bed of hot embers. 

All this work consumed time, two or three hours 
in fact. The room was by now a furnace, and 
leaving Joan to attend to the precious roast for a 
moment, I stepped to the door for a breath of 
fresh air. 

“The saint’s mercy!” I cried, starting back. 

“What is it?” asked Joan, rising in alarm and 
coming toward me. 

“Back! back!” I warned her. “Do not let 


93 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


them see you! It’s the Welcome! It’s Gardiner! 
They’re rowing ashore!” 

“Sir Christopher!” she cried, despairingly. 
“Oh, what shall we do?” 

“Fools! Idiots! to make known our presence 
by a towering column of smoke that can be seen 
miles away,” I blurted out — “Pardon, my lady, 
for the plural. I alone am to blame, for I might 
have known that the scoundrel would search for 
us upon discovering how he had been tricked.” 

“Nay,” she said. “I, too, am to blame. I 
feared it also, but thought the danger past. ” 

“The mischief’s done!” I answered gloomily. 

“Nothing now can save you from the villain’s 
clutches.” 

“Let us fly! Let us hide ourselves!” cried the maid. 

But the surprise, the lateness of our discovery, 
had fallen like lead upon my spirit. 

“It is hopeless,” I groaned, “hopeless! They 
are almost ashore. In a few minutes Gardiner 
will be here.” 

“But we need not be!” cried Joan, clutching 
me by the arm. “Come away!” 

“Nay!” said I, holding back. “What will he 
find? — every sign of our being here a minute or 
two before he arrived. Our flight will show who 
we are. He will at once scatter his men in pursuit. 
Where could we hide that they could not find us. 
Gardiner would never give up, never — and when 
you are taken — ” 


94 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“I would kill myself rather !” she broke in, 
her eyes deep with determination. 

“Oh, for a weapon — a weapon !” I groaned — 
then suddenly: “Wait! wait!” cried I, “a ruse, 
my lady, a ruse ! Neither force nor flight will avail 
us, we must try cunning. The tiger shall meet the 
fox!” 

“What do you mean to do?” she asked. 

“Listen!” said I, and quickly, nervously, in the 
fewest possible words I outlined to her the plan 
which had so suddenly flashed upon my mind. 

“Yes — yes!” she cried eagerly, as she grasped 
my purpose. “It is good! It is worth trying! But 
you, Richard, you — ?” 

My name — my name for the first time. I could 
have faced demons for her. 

“I fear not the scoundrel!” I exclaimed vehe- 
mently. “Let him come! Let him do his worst!” 

“But should he take you, Richard — should he 
kill you in his anger — Oh!” and she trembled at 
the thought. 

Her words, her solicitude, rang sweet in my ears 
despite the imminence of our danger, but there 
was no time to think on sentiment; Sir Christo- 
pher’s boat had now touched the shore and the 
villains were landing. 

“Hasten, my lady!” I urged. “Go — go while 
there is yet time!” and I half led, half pushed her 
through the smaller door of the house, the door 
which opened inland. 


95 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


She held out her hand to me. 

“ Good-bye, Richard! God take care of you!” 
she said, with tears in her lovely eyes. 

“Nay!” I responded, my voice trembling, “not 
good-bye! All will come out well, believe me.” 

She hesitated no longer but did as I told her. 

“Keep the house between you and the boat,” 
was my parting injunction. “Keep low till you 
reach the rocks. And be careful with the letters — 
Y ou understand everything ? ’ ’ 

“I understand everything,” she called back, 
and with a faint parting smile through her tears 
she was gone from my view. 

While Sir Christopher, followed by a half a 
dozen of his fellows, came hurrying towards the 
house, I mentally rehearsed my part. Had I the 
wit to carry it through ? Would I not be caught by 
some unexpected turn, or let hot anger seize me to 
our betrayal and undoing? Against the latter I 
swore to guard myself, no matter what the provo- 
cation. 

In a few moments Gardiner reached the door 
of Somers’ Hall and strode into the room. I 
started up from bending over the roast as though 
I had been totally unaware of his coming. 

On seeing me an exultant look came into his 
eyes. 

“I was not mistaken, then,” he said trium- 
phantly. “Good morrow to you, Master Car- 
thew!” 


96 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“ You — you here!” I exclaimed in feigned amaze. 

“Your appetite, sir, is keener than your ears,” 
he retorted, “else you would have been aware of 
the fact some minutes ago — Faith, it’s a savory 
roast and fairly browned. Men, here’s game for 
you prepared by a gentleman’s own hand. Fall 
to on it! — For you, sir, I have some questions. 
Where is Mistress Forrest?” 

“Where you will never come,” said I, “in 
Heaven!” 

Gardiner started back. 

“ You lie ! ” he cried . ‘ ‘ What mean you ? Where 

I say, is the maid?” 

I restrained my fierce anger at this accusation. 

“My answer had no ambiguity, Sir Christo- 
pher, ” I responded with forced calmness. “The 
maid is dead, I tell you.” 

“Dead!” he repeated — then quickly recover- 
ing from the shock given him, villain though he 
was, by the suddenness of my news, he cried, 
“Oh no, Master Carthew, I’ll not believe it! That 
is too simple a trick. You should have invented 
a better.” 

“Is it anyway strange that one so tender, so 
frail, should sink under such hardships?” I asked 
him. “Was it not to our death you sent us in that 
open boat on a boundless ocean ? Does the maid’s 
death surprise you?” 

“Men,” he cried, still unconvinced, “search the 
house to its darkest nook and corner. Search all 


97 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


the houses. Report the slightest trace of Mistress 
Forrest to me at once.” 

As the men went out, leaving us alone together, 
what would I not have given to have had it out with 
this scoundrel, to fly at his throat and strangle him 
where he stood; but the risk and the odds were 
too great. 

He laid one of his pistols on the table tempt- 
ingly near me, perhaps hoping that I would snatch 
for it, that he might have for the easing of his 
conscience an excuse for killing me on the spot. 
But I made no such attempt. 

“Look you, Carthew,” said he, “you are a trick- 
ster as your uncle Sir Giles was before you. I do 
not trust you, and, by God, if I find you have lied to 
me, you shall die.” 

I made no answer lest it be one that should bring 
us to blows. 

“You overplay your part, sir,” he sneered 
facing me with folded arms. “Your coolness 
betrays you. I know your meddlesome, hot- 
headed breed, and were the maid dead through 
me, you would have snatched that pistol and 
sought quick revenge. Tut, sir ! you are a brainless 
fool as well as a trickster.” 

There was truth in his reasoning, and I realized 
that I was at wit’s point with no common scoun- 
drel. His eye and brain were keen as a knife. My 
parry for this thrust was, perhaps, not overskilful, 
but at the moment I could think of no better. 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“My interest in the maid, Sir Christopher Gar- 
diner,’ ’ I retorted, “was due to her uncle being 
my father’s friend. Lord Howard can amply 
avenge his niece’s wrongs. I did my part, the rest 
is his.” 

“That for your Lord Howard!” he cried, with 
a scornful snap of his fingers. “As for you, damn 
you, when you have served my purpose I shall 
know how to deal with you.” 

Luckily, at this moment, the first of the searchers 
returned, diverting Gardiner’s attention, and 
soon after all had straggled back with the report 
that not a trace of Mistress Forrest was to be found. 

The fact that Gardiner did not now inquire how 
the maid had died, or where her body lay, showed 
me that he was still unconvinced, and before he 
could give orders for a thorough search of the 
island, I spoke. It seemed to me the exact psycho- 
logical moment. 

“I marvel, Sir Christopher Gardiner,” said I, 
“that one so fond of the maid has not inquired 
about the manner of her death, or asked to see her 
grave.” 

The bait took. 

“Her grave, ay, by Heaven, her grave!” 

“The unfortunate maid took a fever from her 
exposure,” I told him, “and died before we 
reached land.” 

“You buried her at sea?” he asked. “You 
flung her body to the sharks?” 


99 

Lore, 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


I could have strangled him for the thought. 

“Nay, on land,” I replied. “The mound is 
still fresh. An’ you will, I will take you to the 
spot.” 

I have since often marvelled how I could speak 
so calmly of Joan’s death and of her grave, as 
though to lose her would be but a light thing, her, 
without whom life were a blank and dismal wil- 
derness. 

“Show me where the maid lies and I will believe 
you,” said Gardiner. 

It was growing towards dusk when we rounded 
the headland in Sir Christopher’s boat, passed 
safely in through the reef and approached the 
shore. Had Joan had time to complete her work, 
I wondered. I swept the shore with my gaze look- 
ing for the landmark, and then where I judged the 
grave to be. Merciful Heaven! there was Joan 
still on the spot. I could see her plainly as she 
stooped over the mound completing her task, ut- 
terly unaware of the approaching danger. How 
should I warn her; how prevent her being seen 
by the others. 

Luckily it was growing dark and there were 
many rocks and clumps of bushes scattered about 
the shore, so that her form was only one of the 
many objects that caught the eye as we drew near. 

Fortunately, too, her back was turned to the 
boat, and she had not risen nor moved enough 
to attract the attention of Gardiner, who, unsus- 


ioo 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


pecting, knew not, as I did, where to direct his 
gaze. In that moment of fearful anxiety, many 
foolish expedients rushed into my head — to cry 
out, to leap with a heavy splash into the sea, to 
snatch Gardiner’s pistol and fire it, to — anything 
to warn the maid that we were at hand. But I 
dismissed them all as soon as thought of, knowing 
that Joan would instinctively start up and so reveal 
her presence ; or even if she escaped unseen, I felt 
that my crazy act would fill Gardiner’s alert mind 
with suspicion. 

All this happened in a few seconds. Quickly 
I moved my gaze from the spot where she crouched 
along nearly to the further extremity of the beach. 

“ There,” I cried, pointing — I think my voice 
trembled — “It is there the body lies.” 

Gardiner looked. I glanced at him, and knew 
that he at any rate had not seen the maid, nor sus- 
pected anything. 

The rowers swung the boat’s head half round 
and pulled for the place I had indicated. I heaved 
an inward sigh of relief. For the moment all was 
well. 

A minute later, I ventured a glance to the right, 
knitting my brows as though in a quandary. 
Thank heaven, Joan had seen us and fled. Even 
as I looked I caught the last glimpse of her ere she 
disappeared amongst the foliage inland. 

“I fear, Sir Christopher, I am mistaken,” I said, 
turning to Gardiner. “This is not the spot after 


IOI 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


all, but there to the right where yonder clump 
shoots above its fellows.” 

“Fool!” he growled impatiently, “You are all 
mistakes, or else tricks. I know your game. Be- 
ware, sir!” 

These were bitter words, but I endured them. 
We landed on the beach opposite the young sailor’s 
grave, and I led him to the spot. With great 
relief I saw that Joan had completed her work. 

“Look!” I said, pointing to the mound. 

Gardiner drew near and bent over to gaze upon 
the small flat stone that projected from the grave’s 
head. It bore the inscription, deeply scratched 
with another stone : 

JOAN FORREST 

DIED AT SEA 

“Do you require better proof of the maid’s 
death than this?” I asked him. 

For a moment he stood silent, musing. What 
were his thoughts, I wondered. Did he really 
care for the maid? Was there a spark of honest 
love in his villainous nature ? I was soon to know. 

“By God, Carthew!” he cried, “either the maid 
is dead or you are a damned clever fellow!” 

Something in his tone disturbed me. I looked 
at him and saw that his eyes were keen, alert, 
roving hither and thither. 

“What do you mean?” I asked him. “There 


102 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


is the fresh grave and there the headstone. How 
could — 

“And here,” he broke in with a leer, “here is 
a footprint on the fresh earth that is suspiciously 
unlike Master Carthew’s.” 

I stood dazed, dumfounded. In Heaven’s 
name what next ? what other complications would 
arise? Everything seemed against us. Had it 
been light enough Gardiner must have seen con- 
sternation written upon my face, to my betrayal. 

“This is a sham grave!” declared Gardiner. 
“It lacks a tenant.” 

“It is not so!” I protested as stoutly as my 
mental condition would allow. “It is not so! 
I’ll take oath upon it!” 

“We shall see!” he cried, “and, by Heaven, if 
we find it tenantless, it will not be long so!” 

It was not for myself that I trembled at this 
unexpected turn, but for thought of the dire con- 
sequences of his discovery to the unfortunate 
maid. Matters looked black, indeed. Every- 
thing was now at a crisis, and hope failed within 
me. 

“Take yon headstone and dig,” said Sir Chris- 
topher to one of his men. “Dig here and uncover 
the face, and waste no time about it.” 

The fellow did as ordered, going down on his 
knees and shovelling out the loose earth with rapid 
motions of the flat stone. The grave was not a 
deep one, perhaps scarcely two feet, and as the 


103 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


man neared the dead lad’s face, I wondered how the 
matter would end. Had Providence deserted us at 
last ? There seemed not a chance of escape. The 
dead face would discover everything. My lie could 
have but one meaning, that Joan was still alive on 
the island, and on the next sweep of the stone per- 
haps hung the maid’s capture and worse than death. 

The man continued to dig. It was the tensest 
moment of my life. Was it possible that anything 
could occur to save us ? I could think of nothing 
short of a bolt from heaven, and yet I hoped on, 
though facing despair. Sir Christopher stood by 
waiting, a triumphant leer on his face. I saw his 
hand steal to his pistol ominously, half drawing 
it, then thrusting it back. The hole grew deeper 
and deeper, the man digging was bathed in sweat. 

Suddenly a lift of the stone tossed up something 
limp and whiteish. 

“Hold!” cried Gardiner. “Hold!” and stoop- 
ing, he picked up the white thing and shook the 
earth from it. It was Joan’s kerchief — the ker- 
chief she had in her woman’s tenderness and pity 
laid over the dead lad’s face ere we cast the earth 
upon it. Instantly my spirits bounded with relief 
and joy. I thanked God in my heart, for I felt 
that we were saved. Joan’s sweet and thoughtful 
act had been our salvation. 

The kerchief was plainly the maid’s, and I saw 
that Gardiner recognized it. At his cry “Hold!” 
the man had ceased digging. A little earth had 


104 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


trickled down the sloping sides of the cavity, yet 
a portion of the poor lad’s cheek and brow were 
visible through the darker earth. Gardiner looked 
— thank heaven the light was dim and the features 
not uncovered — he looked, and was at last con- 
vinced. 

4 4 Enough ! fellow, enough ! ” he cried . ‘ ‘ Replace 

the earth. The fairest corpse is but carrion!” 

In my plan of action, I had not thought beyond 
the point of convincing Sir Christopher that the 
maid was really dead and buried; yet I had a 
vague hope that he would consider it a sufficient 
revenge upon me to sail away leaving me here 
alone and desolate. Such proved to be not his 
idea, however. 

“ You have played meddler to no purpose, fool!” 
he said in a moment. “An’ you had attended to 
your own affairs, the maid would now be alive and 
well.” 

I made no reply. 

“Our score is not yet settled, Master Carthew,” 
he went on as though reading my thoughts. “Don’t 
fancy that. I have some pleasant little enter- 
tainments in mind on board the Welcome, in which 
you will take a lively part, I’ll promise you.” 

I gave him a look of fierce hatred, but said 
nothing. 

At his command his followers closed in about 
me, making escape impossible, and thus we marched 
back to the boat. 


CHAPTER X. 


IN MORTAL TERROR. 

What was there now for me to do? I well 
understood Sir Christopher’s dark hints of torture, 
and knew he would not scruple to carry them out, 
but again I feared not for myself but for the poor 
maid left alone on this desolate island to suffer 
fright and hardships, perhaps to perish. But I 
had done my best, and I took some comfort in 
thinking that the maid would a hundred times 
choose remaining here alone than placing herself 
again in Sir Christopher’s power. 

With the six men at the oars and Sir Christopher 
and I seated in the stern, the boat passed through 
the lagoon. Numerous rocks showed above the 
water along our course, the tide being at about the 
turn. The white belly of a shark caught my eye 
once as we sped along. My mind was again busy 
planning, weighing chances. 

We were about a hundred yards from the shore, 
and were passing at scarcely more than oar’s length 
a jagged rock, when I started up suddenly, and 
before Gardiner could stay me, plunged into the 
sea. 

When I rose above the surface, the impetus of 
the oars had carried Sir Christopher some half a 

106 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


dozen yards away. I saw him for a second stand- 
ing in the stern, alert, tense, ready for my rising. 
His pistol flashed, and the bullet whizzed by my 
ear. 

Instantly I gave a wild scream and sunk below 
the surface. I know not how I managed it, but 
half swimming, half crawling along the bottom, I 
placed the jagged rock between the boat and my- 
self, and again rose above the water. My breath 
was all but gone. Recovering quickly, I scram- 
bled noiselessly upon a low shelf of the rock, with 
the terror of sharks behind me, and lay still, com- 
pletely hidden from view, for, as I say, the impetus 
of the oars had carried Sir Christopher to the outer 
side of the rock. 

“Curse him, he’s done for!” I heard Gardiner 
exclaim as I failed to reappear. “ Bullet or sharks, 
he’s done for!” and waiting only long enough to 
feel sure that I was forever beyond his power, he 
ordered his boat forward to the ship. 

As I lay there flat upon the slimy rock, physically 
wretched from chill and hunger, a hundred 
thoughts came to me. I seemed like one who had 
passed through a maze, each turn in the path 
bringing some new and unexpected torment. But 
there was a joy to sustain me, the thought that I 
had been of service to the maid I loved, that I had 
again saved her by a wit that I never could have 
believed was mine. 

Sir Christopher had by now reached the ship 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and was loosening the sail to depart. Presently a 
soft hail from the shore reached my ears. 

“Master Carthew! Richard !” came the voice, 
and in the starlight I discerned Joan standing upon 
the beach. 

“Richard! Richard! Are you there ?” 

“Yes,” I called back. “I am safe and sound.” 

“Oh, thank God!” she answered fervently. 
“Thank God!” 

“I am not yet quite out of danger,” I told her. 
“The water is deep and there are sharks about. 
I dare not try to swim ashore. 

“Oh!” she cried in alarm. “No, no, do not 
attempt it!” 

“Not unless I have to,” I shouted back; “but 
the tide is rising.” 

“The shallop!” she cried. “Wait, I will fetch 
her to you.” 

“I fear she is high aground,” I answered, re- 
membering when last we had used her. “You 
will never be able to set her afloat.” 

“Wait, wait!” she cried anxiously. “I will 
try, oh so hard. Promise me, Richard, that you 
will wait.” Her tones were tremulous with fear. 

“I will wait,” I said, to comfort her, though I 
felt that those delicate hands could never accom- 
plish so hard a task. 

Meanwhile the tide was coming in fast, and had 
already crept more than a foot up the rock. I was 
now crouched upon the highest point of it, and 

108 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


knew that I would soon be reached by the swirling 
current. 

She seemed to be gone an interminable time, 
but at last she came running back from the little 
cove where the boat lay. 

“Oh, Richard,” she cried in despair, “I cannot 
move her. But wait, wait, the tide has almost 
reached her. Can you still hold on?” 

“Yes,” I called back. “Do not be frightened, 
do not worry, dear! You will be in time, never 
fear.” 

“I will try again, but wait for me, Richard, wait 
for me — for God’s sake do not tempt the sharks!” 

Again she disappeared, running swiftly. On 
came the tide, stealing with a low liquid murmur 
up the sides of the rock. It touched my limbs 
where I was kneeling on the highest point, and crept 
up, half covering them. A huge white belly flashed 
in the water ten feet from my eyes, filling me with 
horror. 

Again the voice sounded on the shore. 

“Richard! Richard! — almost! — a minute, only 
a minute! — Are you safe?” 

“It is near the end,” I told her, for I confess 
that the death that stared me in the face would be 
the last of my choosing, and it shook my courage 
as no mortal man could do, though his pistol were 
at my head. “A minute or two more and all will 
be over.” 

A little scream, but no word escaped her. She 
109 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


was gone with the speed of lightning, her feet shod 
with terror. 

Another age seemed to pass without my seeing 
her. It did not seem that she could possibly be 
in time. Again that sickly white belly flashed 
before my horror-stricken eyes, and then another 
nearby, and still another. The sharks were gather- 
ing for their prey. 

What I tell here in a few lines occupied many 
minutes, so that the most sympathetic reader can- 
not feel pity or anxiety commensurate with my 
danger or suffering. Inch by inch the water gained 
upon me, increasing my agony. It had soon 
reached my thighs, and I felt my bended limbs 
begin to lift and sway with the movement of the 
tide. My hands grew stiff and numb from my des- 
perate clutch of the rock. In a moment or two 
it seemed all must be over. 

A trembling seized me, the trembling of abject 
terror. The sharks drew nearer and nearer, dart- 
ing above and under each other, and in my agonized 
fancy I felt already the sharp, cruel snap of those 
greedy, gaping jaws as they snatched and rended 
my quivering body. With a stifled cry I tore my 
gaze from the monsters, and shut my eyes upon 
them lest I faint and fall to them a second before 
my time. The action calmed me. I kept them 
closed, sending up my supplication to Almighty 
God that I might be spared this awful death, yet 
in my agony not forgetting to plead for my poor 


no 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


life less for my own sake than for the sake of one 
to whom my loss would mean misery and despair. 

The swaying motion of my body increased as 
the current grew deeper about me, and strangely 
now I felt no terror, but as one rocked soothingly 
in a cradle . . . and then I seemed really so to be, 
and could see my dear mother’s face bending over 
me as she crooned to me a lullaby . . . and then I 
sunk into repose and knew no more. 

“Oh, thank God! thank God he lives!” were 
the words that first greeted my returning senses, 
and I felt the warm, fragrant breath of my lady 
on my face, as she bent over me wooing me back 
to life. 

I lay in the bottom of the boat whither she had 
dragged me, Heaven knows how, with her delicate 
hands and feeble strength, for with my water- 
soaked clothes and limp and unconscious as I was, 
I must have been heavy indeed. 

In a moment I raised myself and sat up. Joan 
could stand no more. She sank down beside me, 
her head falling on my breast, and broke into 
sobbing. 

I would fain have remained thus for some time, 
for it was sweet to soothe and comfort her, but 
I suddenly remembered how a dear sister of mine, 
after an hour of such stress and anxiety had fallen 
from sobbing into hysterics, and God wot, I wish 


hi 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


to see no other in this condition, least of all this 
maid who had grown so dear to me. So I rose 
quickly, and with a light buoyant word or two 
sought to restore her calm. In this effort I was 
not unsuccessful, for her mood responded to mine, 
and in a few minutes we had regained our compos- 
ure and were quite ourselves again. 

“Oh!” cried Joan presently. “What a day! 
What a day!” 

“I am starved and frozen!” I said, “let us get 
back home!” And bustling about quickly to warm 
myself, I pulled up and fastened the shallop and 
off we started. 

On our way across the island Joan told me her 
story and I told her mine; but I never let her 
know how nearly her careless footprint on the 
fresh clay had come to spoiling everything. 


1 1 2 


CHAPTER XI. 


I DO A BOLD IMPULSIVE THING WHICH CAUSES 
JOAN TO BLUSH. 

I slept but poorly that night. Despite my 
determined efforts to cast from my mind all thought 
of what had happened, save that of joy for our 
escape, the adventure intruded upon my dreams, 
and more than once I started up from slumber, 
my body in a sweat with terror. How was it with 
Joan, I wondered, and could not but think that 
with her sensitive nature, the night must have been 
a night of trial indeed. 

Once I thought I heard a cry from her room, 
and I sprang up and listened; but the cry, if cry 
it was, was not repeated, and so I put it down to 
my superactive fancy. 

As I lay there awake, surrounded by night and 
absolute silence, a feeling of deadly depression 
stole over me, my gloomy mind crowding the dark 
with horrid shapes and dread anticipations. I 
remembered how this had been called the Isle of 
Devils, and I seemed in fancy to be threatened 
by those goblins, ghouls and terrible fanged spirit 
hounds placed here by Master Shakespeare in 
his play. 

The night seemed interminable. Would it 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


never end? Would dawn never, never come? 
Thank heaven it broke at last, and its rosy smile 
cheered my spirit like a draught of wine. As I 
rose and went forth I bethought me that I could 
say with a certain King whose name I bore: 
Shadows to-night have struck more terror to the 
soul of Richard 

Than could the substance of ten thousand soldiers. 

My fear concerning Joan proved to be not un- 
founded. She had passed a wretched night, and 
as I sat opposite her at breakfast, I saw dark rings 
about her eyes. But she possessed an inexhausti- 
ble supply of courage and good spirits, and when 
I spoke my worry concerning her she only laughed. 

“It’s only the loss of a little beauty sleep,” she 
said lightly. “Do not worry, Master Carthew.” 

So it was Master Carthew again, and Richard 
no longer. I sighed to think of it and remained 
moodily silent. 

Of the day, or of the succeeding days, there is 
no need for me to write at length; they followed 
each other without ordeal or adventure to speak 
of, until our sojourn upon the island had rounded 
out a week — seven happy days for me, and for 
Joan I think not unhappy. The time we spent 
in little excursions right and left. There were 
some very interesting caves and grottoes not far 
from the Hall, and in one of these, I remember, we 
came upon some strange carvings upon the rocky 
walls, which was surely the handiwork of one of 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


our own kind. What had brought the man here, 
how long had he stayed on this lonely island, and 
what at last became of him, were questions we 
could only answer by speculation. 

When the day was dull we remained at Somers’ 
Hall, chatting and reading from my little book of 
Shakespeare’s plays. This latter Joan never grew 
tired of, she would read over the many noble pas- 
sages again and again, often graciously reciting 
them for me, when the charm and grandeur of the 
poet’s thought seemed enhanced and intensified 
by the melody of her voice. 

But we were not without our hours of gloom 
and despondency. Once I came upon my lady 
weeping sorely, and it went to my heart like a 
knife, but ’twas soon over; in a few moments the 
rain cloud had passed from the horizon of her 
spirit and left only the brighter sunshine. 

After this I strained every resource to keep my 
companion cheered and amused, and with the help 
of her own lively nature I fairly succeeded. One 
subject I studiously avoided, and though God 
knows how I yearned to speak upon it, I remained 
faithful to the promise I had made that morning 
upon the ship. Only once did I broadly betray 
myself, and of this I shall now speak. 

I think this seventh morning was the fairest 
we had yet had; and at my suggestion we had 
come over the ridge with the purpose of sailing the 
shallop round to our settlement. Our voyage 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


back was a most delightful one, an experience 
never to be forgotten. It took us well nigh upon 
four hours, for we sailed into many charming 
little bays and inlets, and once or twice we landed 
and gathered large bunches of rarely beautiful 
and fragrant wild flowers, which seemed to confine 
their growing to a few particularly fertile spots. 
These made my lady’s eyes to dance with pleasure, 
for she passionately loved flowers, which to her, 
more than to any other maid I ever knew, seemed 
affinitive. 

We discovered also a number of trees bearing 
a long yellow fruit, something of the size and shape 
of the cucumber, and being of good appetite we 
ventured to eat of them, and found them very pleas- 
ant and nourishing. This find was a great god- 
send to us; we laid a supply into the shallop, and 
with our argosy of fruit and flowers we glided 
swiftly over the sunlit waters, peaceful and con- 
tented in mind, and for my part hoping that no 
ship would arrive to take us from our little Eden 
for many and many a day. 

Did Joan share this feeling? I only know that 
she was touched by the exquisite loveliness of the 
scene about us, for she said: 

“God must take pleasure in lovely things, 
Master Carthew.” 

“That is true,” I responded. “Perennial 
beauty dwells in many a spot unseen of human 
eye.” 


116 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Yes,” she said, “and how fine a sermon it 
is against man’s arrogant assumption of importance 
in the scale of creation. Surely it is not for us 
He painted his glorious pictures, but for His own 
delight.” 

“There speaks the humility of the Puritan,” 
was my reply. “But is the view a true one ? May 
He not have set so magnificent a stage for us that 
we might be inspired to play greater and nobler 
parts? Is it not an inspiration even to know that 
we are in so vast and beautiful a world?” 

In this vein we talked on for some time, as we 
sailed homeward, my lady revealing to me the 
more thoughtful side of her nature. How our 
argument ended, what matter; we presently 
reached our settlement and carried our burden of 
fruit and flowers up to Somers’ Hall. The former 
we hung up in a spare chamber, and the latter I 
helped my lady to arrange about her apartment, 
according to that fine delicate taste and fancy 
which is the exclusive gift of her adorable sex. 

While we were thus still engaged Mistress Joan 
complained of being thirsty, whereupon I reached 
down a shell from a number that lay upon the rude 
mantel and went forth to fetch some water. When 
I returned with the draught she graciously thanked 
me, holding up a sweet bouquet she had made in 
my absence; and as she presented it to me she 
blushed prettily. In receiving the gift my fingers 
touched hers, and in an instant, forgetting every- 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


thing save that here was I all alone with the love- 
liest woman God ever made, I had seized her hand 
and covered it with passionate kisses. She gave 
a little protesting cry and struggled to release it, 
and raising my eyes I saw that she looked hurt. 

The look brought me to my senses. I am not 
one used to reading women’s faces and belike I 
mistranslated her expression. But I was already 
cowering before my conscience; I knew that I had 
broken my resolve, that I had acted thus with 
small encouragement from the maid, and the next 
moment I had released her hand and was standing 
abashed and penitent. 

“Your pardon, my lady,” I pleaded, bending 
on one knee before her. “ Peccavi ! I am not fit 
to be your knight and champion.” 

Most gracious was her answer. 

“Rise, sir,” she said with a sweet forgiving 
smile. “I shall indeed thank Heaven an I never 
find one less worthy.” 

With some words of thanks for her forgiveness — 
low, trembling words, for my feelings were strongly 
agitated — I rose and left her, taking the nosegay 
which had been the cause of my offence over to 
my own dwelling. I loved flowers, and these I 
I loved the more for what had passed. I kissed 
them again and again, but swore to them that they 
were not more fair or fragrant than the lovely 
hand that had gathered and presented them. 

Then, sitting there in loneliness, a vision of 


118 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


things past came to me. I saw again the maid 
as I had first met her — there were flowers in this 
scene also — stealing out from the bushes overlook- 
ing the boat wherein sat the handsome youth; I 
saw her sweet confusion as I bantered her about 
him on the way to Ralph Dudley’s; I saw again 
the scene in the cabin of the Welcome, as I had 
seen it that night, clinging with cramped fingers 
outside the cabin window; I heard her repeat her 
dream and sigh for the lad, and with all this there 
came to me my promise concerning the youth 
and the maid, that I would do what I could to aid 
them in their mutual love, yea, even though in 
doing it I strained my heart beyond all mending. 
And all this made me strong again, and renewing 
my resolve, I went back to Somers’ Hall. 

I found Mistress Joan reclining on the settle. 
Her face was a little clouded, and it seemed to me 
that she looked somewhat lonesome and melan- 
choly. To divert her mind from any unpleasant 
thoughts she might have, I proposed that we 
proceed to the beach to see what we could find in 
the way of shell-fish for our evening meal. 

“Very well,” she said, and she rose at once and 
put on her hat. It was the little Spanish hat be- 
longing to Roslin, and it became her piquant 
beauty most adorably. 

“I am ready, Master Carthew!” 

In a twinkling she was the light-hearted girl 
again. Walking was too sedate for her, she skipped 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and frolicked all the way to the beach, and would 
have it that I run races with her. In truth she 
made of us a pair of merry care-free children. 

There were some long pools of water in our path, 
hollows in the sand where the tide receding had 
left a portion of itself. In crossing one of these 
on some slippery rocks, Joan was a little too lively 
and venturesome ; her foot slipped, and ere I could 
catch her she had fallen into the water. 

The pool was too shallow for danger, but she 
fell into it sideways, and when I lifted her to her 
feet her lower garments were dripping. 

After condoling with her upon her misfortune, 
at which she herself only laughed, I advised that 
she return to the hall, remove her wet clothes and 
hang them out to dry in the sun, while I remained 
on the beach to dig for the shell-fish. At first she 
demurred, but after I had persuaded her that it 
was well in our present position to run no risk of 
catching cold, she agreed to my plan. 

“Oh, you are such a thoughtful, troublesome 
man!” she protested demurely, and then went 
back to the house. 

It may have been half an hour after this little 
accident, when on raising my eyes from my task 
of digging in the sand, I beheld a large ship coming 
around a rocky point of the island and scarcely a 
mile away. She did not seem to be steering toward 
us, but sailing by. 

At first I was inclined to let her pass on without 
even trying to make our presence j known, but 


120 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


suddenly bethinking me that our poor food supply 
promised ill for my lady’s health, I began making 
vigorous efforts to attract her attention by pulling 
off my jacket and waving it over my head. This 
I continued until my arm was weary, but owing, 
no doubt, to the dark color of the garment, no one 
on board seemed to notice my signal. 

Meantime the vessel was getting further and 
further away, and the chance of making her see us 
was growing smaller and smaller. I began to 
grow desperate. Something must surely be done, 
and that speedily. Then it struck me to set a bonfire 
and hastening in shore I heaped up a lot of twigs 
and driftwood. But alas, on feeling for my flint 
and steel to set the pile ablaze, I found that they 
were missing, that I had left them with Mistress 
Joan the night before, and had forgotten to replace 
them in my pocket. 

Cursing the luck, I stood there in a quandary. 
What now? To rush to the house and rush back 
before setting the fire would consume too much 
time. And besides that might I not surprise — no, 
no, it was not to be thought of! 

Suddenly an idea flashed upon me. It was a 
bold idea, and I have since thought that to enter- 
tain it I must have felt desperate indeed. 

Next moment I was bolting at topmost speed 
for the Hall. Joan had obeyed me to the letter. 
Yes, there they were, there they hung, three or 
four dainty white fluttering things drying in the 
golden sunshine. 


121 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Staying for nothing, and without a thought that 
my hands might wither for the sacrilege, I seized 
the mystic immaculate garments and stepping into 
view of the ship, I waved them frantically round 
and round, at the same moment bellowing at the 
top of my lungs, in the hope that as the wind was 
oh shore this would aid in attracting the attention 
I desired. 

“ c Master Carthew! Master Carthew ! What are 
you doing? For shame! Put them down! Put 
them down!” cried a voice from the Hall. 

“A sail! A sail!” I shouted, continuing to wave 
my snowy signal. 

“Sir! Sir! Bring me my clothes at once!” com- 
manded Joan through the window. 

“Hurrah!” was my only answer, still waving. 
“They see us! They see us!” 

“Master Carthew! Master Carthew! MAS- 
TER CARTHEW!” 

Phew! my sweet little lady was getting angry, 
that was beyond question — and so, though I fain 
would have fingered long these factitious adorn- 
ments of her beautiful person, I made all haste to 
obey her commands. 

“Wretch!” she cried, as I handed the dainty 
things over to her, she standing cloaked inside the 
open window. ‘ ‘ W retch ! ’ ’ 

“Pray, forgive me,” I pleaded, more than half 
laughing at her pretty confusion. “The case was 
very urgent.” 


122 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“ Never, sir!” cried she. “I shall never forgive 
you!” and she disappeared from my view. 

That night we ate neither shell-fish nor the fruit 
we had gathered, but dined bountifully on board 
the Margaret, bound from London to Virginia. 


123 


CHAPTER XII. 


IN WHICH WE COME TO VIRGINIA AND I GET INTO 
TROUBLE. 

Our few days on the Margaret passed very pleas- 
antly indeed. Mistress Oakes, the Captain’s wife, 
took charge of Joan and saw that she was in every 
way cared and provided for. 

The ship we were now on was bringing over 
some twenty men to swell the Virginia colony, and 
these were in charge of one John Levett, who had 
promised them free passage over to join the colonial 
army, with good keep and excellent pay. These 
sturdy fellows spent a great deal of their time in 
sword practice on the forward deck, and it gave 
much pleasure to watch them at the play and occa- 
sionally to take a hand in the game myself. 

There was one among them, a young man whose 
name was Lawrence Groves, whose handling of 
the weapon more than surprised me. For the . 
mere lad that he was, he possessed a remarkable 
skill, being able to worst several of his fellow- 
passengers who, as I learned, were seasoned 
veterans, and had fought, many of them, in the 
Flanders wars. One day I questioned him upon 
the matter. 

“You must have had a good teacher to attain 
to such adroitness, Master Groves,” I said. 


124 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Ay,” he responded darkly. “Hate, and a 
desire for vengeance are excellent teachers.” 

“What mean you?” 

“I have a grievance, sir,” he explained, with a 
look in his eyes that was almost fierce. “There 
is a man, a villain, one Fulk de Gorges, whom I 
have sworn to kill. He is a skilled swordsman; 
I am making ready to meet him.” 

“Where is this man?” 

“Somewhere in this new land of America,” 
was the reply. “I have heard that he is among 
the Puritans, and again that he is in Virginia. 
I have chosen to believe the latter, seeing that 
such a villain as he can have little taste for the 
rigid and religious life of Governor Winthrop 
and his people.” 

“But, sir,” he added, as though remembering 
himself and fearing that he had been indiscreet, 
“perchance I am talking altogether too freely. 
To Master Levett I am one simply come to fight 
against the Indians. I had not the means to come 
otherwise. ” 

“Fear nothing! I shall not betray your confi- 
dence,” I assured him. “But tell me, how has 
this man injured you?” 

“I had a sister,” he replied sadly. “She was 
fair and unsullied. I— I loved her,” his voice 
quavered as he spoke, and for a moment he could 
not proceed. Before he had regained his compos- 
ure, Levett observed us and called out to my 
companion that he would speak with him. 


i 


125 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“We will talk of this further later on,” I said, 
and so we separated, he going forward to his inter- 
view with Levett, and I to the cabin. 

I talked with him no more, however, for we had 
already entered the river, and on the following 
day we arrived in Jamestown Harbor. 

It was dusk when we dropped anchor, and being 
in no haste to go ashore, Mistress Joan and I re- 
mained on board the Margaret, though Levett 
and his twenty fellows landed that same night. 

In the morning we thanked our generous host 
and hostess for their hospitality and were set 
ashore. Of our condition in the way of resources 
we had told them nothing, for in the first place 
we felt rather diffident on the subject, and again 
we trusted something to that fortune which thus 
far had not been unkind to us. 

If we had been asked just what we should do 
with ourselves or where we should go for food and 
shelter we could not have answered; but with a 
fair day before us we made no worry over this, 
and we proceeded aimlessly up the main street 
of the town. 

“Sooth, a fair enough spot, my lady,” said I, 
gazing around. The settlement was more com- 
pact than the Puritan town of Shawmut, the houses 
were larger and of better build, and the whole 
place had an air of brisk life which delighted me. 

Joan made no reply to my observation, but 
walked along beside me in silence. What was 


126 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


running in her mind I knew not, but I thought 
perchance she was feeling homesick, for she looked 
sad and melancholy. 

I was groping in my mind for something to say 
to arouse her from this mood, when presently we 
came to an open square where a crowd of men and 
women were gathered. 

“ Hello!” I cried, pointing to the centre of the 
place. “See yonder, our fellow-passengers of the 
ship. They are drawn up for drill, no doubt.” 

Joan brightened up. 

“My faith,” said she, after a glance at them, 
“they look not over-pleased about it. One would 
take them for a row of miscreants awaiting the 
whip. Besides, I see no arms.” 

“True,” I replied, looking more closely. 
“They have neither swords nor snaphances. It 
is no drill. Belike they are to be sworn in.” 

But we were soon to be undeceived, for even as 
we stood there wondering, Levett, the hard- 
featured supercargo, mounted a small platform 
and began to harangue the planters. 

We had listened to not half a hundred words 
when we discovered what was to do. 

“Good heavens!” I cried, “these men are to be 
sold; they are to be bartered like so many cattle.” 

“Nay,” said Joan incredulously, “how can that 
be? They came hither to join the army of 
Virginia. ” 

“A ruse, a vile trick to catch the unwary.” 

“A trick?” 


127 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Ay, I remember now,” said I. “Once I had 
thought to voyage hither myself, but was warned to 
come over on no promise; and though I was able 
to pay my own passage and so ran no risk of such 
a fate as this, I preferred not to come among any 
such rogues.” 

“Poor, deceived ones,” said my lady, moved 
to pity for them. “And they remain white slaves 
how long?” 

“For the term of four years,” I replied. “For 
four long years are they their master’s, body and 
soul. ’Tis a villainous thing to entice honest men 
into such a trap.” 

I spoke with warmth, and several of the planters 
nearby, overhearing, looked at me with stern and 
angry faces. But I cared little for this. They 
were tyrants, and I felt in a mood to tell them 
the truth, one and all.” 

Meanwhile the sale was proceeding, and we 
drew up closer to observe and listen. Master 
Levett was disposing of one of the men, a tall, 
raw-boned fellow, not over-strong looking, for 
one hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco, that 
product being in some part the currency of the 
colony. Next in the row stood a sturdy young 
man, whom I immediately recognized. It was 
Lawrence Groves. 

“Who would have this fine fellow?” shouted 
the auctioneer in husky tones. “How much is 
offered?” 


128 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“One hundred and thirty pounds,” cried a 
planter. 

“Thirty-five!” said another. 

“Forty!” 

Seeing the despairing look upon the handsome 
face of the youth, and remembering his pitiful 
story, the purpose of his coming, and thinking of 
his great disappointment, I was struck with a fierce 
and uncontrollable anger against the man who 
had thus entrapped him. 

“You scoundrel!” said I, stepping up to Levett. 
“You despicable trader in human flesh! You have 
brought these men hither on false promises. They 
came over to fight, not to be sold as one sells oxen . 
Out upon you for a treacherous knave and a 
coward! Men of Virginia! Englishmen! will 
you stand for such dishonor to your countrymen ?” 

What effect my words may have had upon the 
planters, I had little chance to see. Their affect 
upon the twenty victims of Levett’s treachery was 
instantly apparent. Incited to action by my indig- 
nant protest, they broke from their line and made 
a rush for their persecutor to take summary ven- 
geance upon him. 

Before they reached him, Levett aimed a fierce 
blow at my head with his auctioneer’s mallet, and 
as it descended Joan screamed. But I leaped 
nimbly aside, and ere the fellow could raise his 
weapon a second time, I had him by the throat 
and had hurled him off the platform out amongst 
his infuriated victims. 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


The planters now took a hand and pounced 
upon Levett’s assailants in flank, and in a twin- 
kling there was as pretty a melee as one could ever 
witness at a Kerry fair, albeit there were no sticks 
or swords used, but only nature’s own weapons. 

It did not last long, however. The alarm had 
speedily been given, and in a moment up came the 
town train band armed with halberds and pistols; 
but already the unfortunate twenty had been over- 
powered by numbers and the fight was over. 

Master Levett was a subject for commiseration. 
Almost all of his clothing had been torn from him, 
and he was bruised and battered so that he could 
hardly stand. He was half led, half carried away 
to undergo repairs. 

As for me, after having given some decent ac- 
count of myself, as was fitting to back up the words 
I had uttered, I found myself held firmly in the 
grip of three sturdy captors. 

Mistress Forrest, coming up, looked relieved to 
find that I was not greatly hurt, and she held out 
her hand to me and gave me a kindly smile as 
though she approved of what I had done. 

But I had scarce won my own approval for all 
that. 

“Now am I not a hot-headed fool?” I cried in 
reproach for my own rashness. “Here are we in 
a strange country, and I like to be separated from 
you by prison bars for my folly when most you 
need my help.” 


130 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“You did bravely and meant nobly,” she said 
in reply. “Dear friend, do not fret yourself for 
the rest. Things have a way of coming right if 
we but do our duty.” 

“God grant that they may!” I said fervently, 
though I was put to it to see that any good could 
come of it. 

But I was presently to regret my indiscretion 
still more, for an hour later when I stood in the 
pillory, put there as a person of riotous disposition, 
there came to gaze upon my discomfiture — whom 
think you? None other than that devil whom I 
thought we had seen the last of, Sir Christopher 
Gardiner. 

“Well, Master Carthew,” said he, with a sneer 
upon his handsome face, “this is an unexpected 
pleasure. By Heaven, sir, I thought the sharks 
had you.” 

“You fiend!” I raged, glaring at him. “You 
murderer!” 

“Tut, sir,” he jeered, “an’ you be Master 
Carthew’s ghost, what do you there in that wooden 
neck ruff ? If you be dead, sir, flit, flit like a decent 
spirit!” 

Though it was my last thought to see Gardiner 
here in Virginia, I might have guessed that he 
would not dare to return to Shawmut after what 
had passed. My first anxiety on recovering from 
the shock of his appearance was for Mistress 
Forrest, here amongst absolute strangers and left 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


a prey to this unscrupulous scoundrel. Oh, fool, 
fool that I was to get myself into this coil ! I cursed 
myself again and again for my rashness, and the 
more so for that it had proved worse than futile. 

Sir Christopher drew from his pocket a gold and 
jewelled snuff box and coolly took a pinch. 

“ Fortune, my young friend,” said he with a 
taunting smile, “ seems to have brought me upper- 
most again.” 

“Her wheel will revolve,” I responded sullenly. 

He flicked a little of the brown powder from 
his lace ruffle. 

“The thought has had its turn consoling me, 
Master Car the w.” 

“And some day it will cease to revolve for us,” 
I went on, glaring at him with intense hatred. 

“Yea, man, but one of us shall be on top.” 

“Not the villain, the ravisher of virtue, the 
despoiler of innocence. Not you, Sir Christopher 
Gardiner!” 

“Bah! a truce to this foolish banter!” he cried 
impatiently. “I have the maid secure once more 
and, by Heaven, I shall keep her!” 

I winced at these words and must have turned 
pale. 

He came close and glared into my face. 

“Ha! I perceive, Master Carthew, the news 
pleases you,” he said mockingly. “I thought it 
would, that’s why I came with it — What, you do 
not thank me?” 


13 2 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“You cowardly dog!” I hissed. “If I were but 
free a moment!” 

“’Fore God, sir, I wish you were,” said he 
vehemently. “’Twould give me the keenest 
pleasure to kill you.” 

“Do it then!” cried I, with desperate taunting. 
“’Twould match your other vile cowardly deeds.” 

He went white with rage. He drew his pistol 
and pressed the muzzle of it against my forehead. 

“Damn you!” he muttered, “but I’ve a great 
mind to.” 

He stood thus for a moment irresolute, I glaring 
up at him around the pistol barrel, calmly, un- 
flinchingly. 

“But no,” he said at last, removing the weapon. 
“Curse you, I’ve a better revenge than that. 
You shall live to suffer torture, you meddling cur! 
The maid — ” 

“Harm her if you dare!” I broke in fiercely. 
“By Heaven, for any hurt you do Mistress Forrest 
you shall pay with your heart’s blood!” 

“Spare your threats, you fool!” he exclaimed 
with a sneer — and then — “Adieu, Master Richard 
Carthew. I must not keep Mistress Forrest 
waiting. Adieu, sir!” — and with a light trium- 
phant laugh he turned on his heel and passed down 
the road. 

I watched him until he went out of sight around 
a corner, and then I called to a couple of lads who 
had been standing staring at me, to come near. 


133 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


They hesitated at first as though afraid that I 
would harm them ; but at length they came up and 
I bade one of them to follow the man who had just 
left me, and mark closely where he went. 

The other I dispatched post haste to the Gov- 
ernor, Sir Francis Wyatt, with a message asking 
him to come hither with all speed an’ he wished 
to do a service to the powerful and worthy noble- 
man of England, Lord Howard. 

The name was potent, more so, indeed, than I 
thought, for my lord, as it proved, was a shareholder 
in the Virginia Company. Sir Francis came in 
haste, thinking from the message that it was none 
other than Lord Howard himself who was standing 
in the pillory. 

In a few words I undeceived him and told him 
the maid’s story. The Governor was an honest, 
straightforward, kindly gentleman, and the case 
strongly appealed to him. 

The youth I had sent to follow Gardiner now 
returning, His Excellency had a small body of 
soldiers dispatched immediately to the house to 
which the villain had been tracked. 


134 


CHAPTER XIII. 


AN AGENT OF PROVIDENCE. 

The rather remarkable incident which follows 
I have to relate at second hand, and partly out 
of fancy, I being still in the pillory when it hap- 
pened, though the good Governor had gone him- 
self to procure the keys for my release. I will be 
brief with it, for faith, I am poor enough a hand 
at describing even those things I witness with my 
own eyes. 

It appears then that after Gardiner had exult- 
antly taken himself off, and was approaching the 
house where Mistress Forrest was held prisoner, 
he met one upon the road who stood for a moment 
and stared hard after him. 

“Now who in the devil’s name — ” he began — 
then suddenly memory coming to his aid — “Sir 
Christopher Gardiner, by Heaven! What brings 
that Satan’s spawn to Virginia ?” 

Loosening his sword in its sheath, the stranger 
moved towards the house he had seen Gardiner 
enter. He had taken hardly a dozen steps when 
a woman’s frightened scream caught his ear. He 
rushed to the door, flung it open, and entered. 

Observing the scoundrelly knight in the act of 
attacking a helpless young maid, he flew to her 


i3S 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


rescue, caught the villain by the throat and hurled 
him to the floor. 

The knight was up again in an instant and their 
swords were clashing. The stranger was a large 
and very powerful man, and evidently as soon as 
Gardiner had recognized his assailant, he was of 
no stomach for an encounter with him, for after 
a few passes and parries, sufficient only to bring 
him round to the exit side of the apartment, he 
suddenly turned tail, bolted through the door and 
ran full speed towards a boat which was waiting 
for him at the shore just outside the river gate of 
the stockade. 

Seeing that his lighter antagonist would surely 
escape him, the stranger did not give chase, but 
returned to the room where the maid was lying 
in a faint upon the floor. He called for the people 
of the house, but no one came or answered. He 
then went and procured water, and soon had 
the maid back again to her senses. 

This had just been accomplished, however, 
when in came the soldiers sent by the Governor, 
and the stranger, seeing that the maid was safe 
and in good hands, doffed his hat and proceeded 
upon his own affairs. Joan was taken to the 
Governor’s. 

That evening I dined with Sir Francis and his 
lady and Mistress Forrest at the official mansion. 

In our talk Joan told us how she came to fall 
again into Gardiner’s hands. It appeared that 

I 3 6 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


after I was carried off to the pillory, a young woman 
had approached her, and professing great sympathy 
for her had offered her food and shelter. Utterly 
without helper and suspecting nothing, Joan 
had accepted the offer and followed her. The 
young woman led her to a house near the shore, 
and hardly had she entered ere she found herself 
face to face with Gardiner. The shock was a 
terrible one to Joan, and she confessed to us she 
was woman enough to go into violent hysterics. 

Gardiner left her a brief while with the young 
woman — it was then that he came to gloat over my 
discomfiture — and when he returned she was about 
to be carried off by him, when suddenly the stranger 
rushed into the room and grappled with her 
assailant. After that she knew no more until she 
came to, with the man bathing her face and bidding 
her take a draught of cold water that would revive 
her. 

“You had no speech with him?” I inquired, 
wondering who the man could be. 

“Scarce more than a word,” she answered. 

“ Can you describe him? ” asked the Governor. 

’ “He was a large man,” said Joan. “He wore 
a full beard, which, as I remember now, only 
partly covered a deep scar in his left cheek.” 

“Why, as I live, ’tis big Harry Wollaston!” 
broke in the Governor. “I see now how it came 
about. This morning I did commission Harry, 
who is one of my bravest fellows, to -journey to the 


137 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


‘hundreds’ up the river with information concern- 
ing the terms of our new compact with the savages. 
Doubtless he was on his way to make ready, when 
providentially he came to the rescue of Mistress 
Forrest here. 

“Wollaston!” said I, musing. That name is 
not unknown in Massachusetts colony. 

“Faith, like as not it’s the same man,” said Sir 
Francis. “Harry came to us thence. What heard 
you of him?” 

I sat a moment or two thinking, while slowly 
came back to my mind certain points in the history 
of Merry Mount, which had been given me by 
Master Maude in our talk that single evening 
of mine in Shawmut. Then I told them all I 
remembered — how that the founder of the colony 
now held by “Roaring Tom” was a Captain 
Wollaston — how that Morton had been admitted 
into the colony — how that, Wollaston having gone 
with some of his men on a venture to Virginia, 
Morton had treacherously mutinied, won over 
most of the crew of adventurers that remained, 
kicked out those who were still faithful to their 
absent leader, and started a rule of his own which 
soon became notorious for idleness, drunkenness, 
riot and rascality. 

“Now Morton and Sir Christopher are hand and 
glove, ” I added, “and here, doubtless, is the reason 
for Wollaston’s recognition and misliking.” 

“Egad, sir!” broke in Sir Francis, “now I 

138 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


bethink me of it, the captain may have another 
reason. He has a poor daft daughter whom he 
brought here a year after he first came. He 
would never tell her story, but I doubt not she 
was abused by someone, like as not by this das- 
tardly knight.’ ’ 

“The score of his misdoings will never be 
known, your Excellency, ” said I. “ ’Tis a burning 
shame that the scoundrel has a title to dishonor.” 

“I doubt he comes honestly by it,” Lady Wyatt 
put in. 

“He claims to be of the stock of the infamous 
Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester,” I told 
her; “him, who Master Shakespeare called a man 
of ‘ a cruel nature and a bloody. ’ He joined the 
Hospitallers at Toulon, ’tis said, but being foiled 
in his high ambitions, he tore the cross from his 
shoulder and trampled it under foot. For this 
unpardonable crime against his order he had to 
fly for his life.” 

“You know his history, then?” said Sir Francis. 

“Only so much of it as Master Maude, mine 
host at Shawmut, was acquainted with, your 
Excellency,” said I. “And he further told me 
that Gardiner had then travelled around Europe, 
using various names, degrading women under 
false marriages, and leaving such a trail of crime 
behind him, and so many enemies thirsting for 
vengeance, that he must needs at last escape to 
the New World, where he came with no other 
retinue than a handsome young page.” 


139 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“A son of Satan, truly,” observed the Governor. 
“ Faith, he reflects full credit upon his ecclesiastical 
ancestor.” 

Then our talk drifted into more agreeable chan- 
nels, and the time passed very pleasantly, until 
at length the ladies rose to retire. 

I had a few words alone with Mistress Forrest 
before she left the room, for I felt that I ought to 
make some apology to her for allowing her to be 
subjected to such a terrible ordeal as she must have 
suffered. 

“It seems, my lady,” said I, “that I am forever 
doing that which needs forgiveness. To my in- 
discretion is due this entire misadventure.” 

“Nay,” she replied, most graciously. “You 
did only what I should have done were I a man, 
you stood up with voice and strength for the op- 
pressed. You must not worry over it, sir. I have 
escaped safe and well, and see, the misadventure, 
as you call it, has thrown us into the very arms of 
honest friends.” 


140 


CHAPTER XIV. 


| IN WHICH WE RECEIVE A TIMELY WARNING. 

F That night as Sir Francis and I sat smoking 
together, I broached the subject of my return to 
the island, and asked His Excellency to name for 
me some man of honesty and enterprise, and, if 
possible, one who owned a vesssel that could 
quickly be made ready for sea. 

Sir Francis thought a while. 

“ There is John Rolfe,” he answered presently. 

“Rolfe! I have heard that name,” said I. “Is 
it not he who won the lady Pocahontas ?” 

“And who lost her, alas! The same, ” he replied. 

“A good man and true?” 

“Ay, a most reputable man, and he owns the 
Golden Lyon, a staunch craft well fitted out.” 

“That will do,” I declared, the matter settled 
in my mind. “Rolfe’s the man!” 

On the following morning, bearing a note of 
introduction and recommendation from the 
Governor, I sought out Master Rolfe, and we 
had a long talk together. I found him just the 
man I required, a strong, capable, venturesome 
person, and it was agreed between us that we sail 
in the Golden Lyon the following week for the 
Bermudas, there to search for the wrecked galleon, 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and in the event of our finding her, to share, and 
share alike, in the treasure which we firmly be- 
lieved lay concealed beneath her deck. 

It was further agreed that the vessel should then 
sail northward to Shawmut, there to land Mistress 
Forrest and myself, after which Rolfe’s obliga- 
tion was at an end. 

Safe in the haven of His Excellency’s mansion 
and able to draw a free breath after all the turbu- 
lence and danger of the past week, Joan regained 
much of her old-time gayety and lightness of spirit. 
Lady Wyatt treated her with the greatest of kind- 
ness, and Sir Francis was gallantry itself. 

Many of the settlers in these parts were men 
of high family, not a few of them being the younger 
sons of lords and baronets. Some of these had 
come hither to escape their debts and to retrieve 
a manhood well nigh wrecked by a dissolute life; 
others had been sent over by their fathers to ad- 
vance the interests of the colony in which the latter 
had invested a goodly portion of their fortunes. 
All these gentlemen were frequent visitors at the 
mansion, and between them, good and bad, stupid 
and witty, it was not surprising that Joan found 
enough to keep her enlivened and amused. 

The day before that set for our departure, His 
Excellency gave a great ball in her honor. Guests 
from most of the “hundreds” up the James River 
were present, and among them came Captain 
Percy, brother, or was it cousin, to the Earl of 


142 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Northumberland. The bold and dashing Captain 
was my lady’s partner during most of the fete, 
and many were the envious glances cast at the 
handsome couple as they moved to and fro 
amongst the assembled company, he bending to 
her in sudbued talk, and she smiling coquettishly 
in response to the soft nothings he was pouring 
into her ear. 

As for me, I somehow could not find much heart 
for these festivities. At first I entered into them 
with what spirit I could muster, not for any enjoy- 
ment it afforded me, but rather that being some- 
thing of a figure in the entertainment, I felt it 
incumbent upon me to assume some show of 
interest. It was all only feigning ; I felt lonesome 
in all this crowd, ineffably more lonesome than 
with only one on that deserted isle. 

Despite the assiduous and fascinating attentions 
of her handsome partner, Mistress Joan was not 
altogether neglectful of me. She was kind enough 
to leave him a while and dance with me. In that 
while, all too brief, how happy was I to clasp her 
graceful, her adorable form — but, alas, I could 
not keep her; the gallant Captain soon came again 
to her, and with a smile and a gracious courtesy 
to my poor self, she moved away leaning on his 
arm. 

After that I could endure it no longer. Whilst 
the dancing and the chatter and the music were 
at their highest, I stole from the ballroom and 


M3 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


went out into the moon-lit night. The cool air 
refreshed me like a draught of wine. Accustomed 
to an outdoor life, here under the broad sky I was 
more at ease. I threw myself on the grass and 
gave full play to the feelings within me. 

What my thoughts were it is not hard to guess — 
that is, not hard for those who have had the wit 
to read between the lines of what I have written. 
Of such I ask, what would your thoughts have 
been? Would not the fragrance of the flowers 
as it was wafted to you, have softly whispered 
one name in your ears ? Would not the stars you 
gazed at, lying there, have seemed to trace in 
glowing silver one name upon their azure ground ? 
And would not the solitary moon have seemed to 
cry to your forlorn heart in bitterness, “We are 
alone, you and I, alone !” 

Over a burst of laughter from the gayly lighted 
ballroom above, suddenly I caught the sound of 
hoofs beating rapidly upon the road. A moment 
later a rider dashed furiously up to the door of 
the mansion and half leaped, half fell from his 
exhausted steed. 

Seeing that he staggered to keep his feet, I rose 
quickly and hastened to his assistance. The new- 
comer was a mere youth and of slender build, 
so that I had no difficulty in sustaining him whilst 
he recovered himself, which it took him but a few 
seconds to do. 

As the moon shone out and showed me his face, I 
started in blank astonishment. It was Roslin. 


144 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“The Paspahegs! The savages !” he cried in 
breathless tones. “They are upon you! Save 
yourselves!” 

“The Indians! The Paspahegs! Impossible! 
Did they not but now smoke the pipe of peace 
with the settlers?” 

“That was a week ago. Things have happened 
since then. There is one, no Indian, sir, who has 
sworn vengeance upon you all.” 

“ Gardiner! You mean that he has incited them 
to murder us!” I cried, appalled at the thought of 
so dastardly a revenge. 

“Quick, man! the alarm!” he urged. “They 
follow close upon my heels. There is no time to 
lose in talk. The alarm!” 

But the commotion had already been heard in 
the ballroom, and there was the sound of many 
feet hastening toward us. 

Before I could decide upon what steps to take, 
for I wished to avoid frightening the women folk, 
Rolfe, Master Pory, the Governor’s secretary, and 
a dozen others came running up to ask what was 
to do. 

In a few words I told them. Rolfe turned to 
the youth who had brought these tidings, and with 
a glance read him through and through. 

“To arms, men!” he cried, convinced of the 
messenger’s honesty, “To the palisades for your 
lives!” 

“Prithee, sir, get me a weapon, ” I said to Rolfe, 
grasping his arm as he was about to go. 


145 


the maid and the miscreant 


“Come then!” said he, and we hurried away 
after the rest, though not before I had hastily re- 
quested the Governor’s secretary to take Roslin 
immediately to Mistress Forrest and to inform 
her that I had gone to the palisades. 

“I have never wholly trusted the Black Em- 
peror,” observed Rolfe as we went. “He hates 
the palefaces, and his crew are ever ready to don 
the black paint against us. They are fagots ever 
ready for the spark.” 

“And Sir Christopher Gardiner is one who 
would never scruple to apply it,” I put in. 

“The killing of Jack o’ the Feather for the 
murder of Morgan is a sore not yet healed, ” Rolfe 
went on. “’Twas a just punishment, but the 
savages have never forgiven us that we did not 
bestow upon him the red man’s honor of torture 
before death.” 

Suddenly as we talked thus, a great howling 
was heard from outside the palisades, and the 
Paspahegs rushed to the attack. 

But they did not find us so unprepared as they 
expected. Already our torches were flaring and 
our men stood at their places at the loopholes, 
from which they now fired a volley at the advancing 
savages. 

Reaching the storeroom for arms, Rolfe seized 
a musket, the only one left by this time, and handed 
me a sword, and together we hurried to the defence. 

The redskins, taken aback at the first volley, 

146 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


had retired for a moment behind the trees to re- 
cover; but now again they rushed for the stockade, 
and, reckless of those who fell by the second volley, 
reached it, and began to swarm over. 

In half a dozen places at once we saw their heads 
appear, and over they came, impelled by those 
behind. 

But theirs was short shrift. Captain Percy 
received the first over and the savage lay dead 
with a bullet in his heart. The next one the Cap- 
tain dispatched with the butt of his pistol, and the 
third and fourth fell to the furious strokes of his 
sword. 

All this I saw in a twinkling as I rushed with 
Rolfe toward another spot, and, inspired by the 
sight, I cut down with my own hand three of the 
red-skins who had succeeded in getting over the 
palisade. 

Meantime Rolfe and the others were making 
excellent showing, and the Indians, seeing great 
numbers of their party thus cut down, were be- 
ginning to waver. 

Immediately there was a shout from Captain 
Percy. 

“Come, men, follow me!” and flinging open the 
gate, he dashed out, sword in hand, and fell upon 
the amazed savages. 

Some forty of the brave defenders followed close 
upon his heels; there was a moment or two of 
terrific fighting— a period of fearful anxiety, during 


14 ) 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


which our fate hung in the balance — then came 
the turn, and the Captain’s audacious sortie was 
more than justified. Though struck with astonish- 
ment at the boldness of the movement, the Indians 
resisted fiercely for a brief while, then broke and 
fled in terror, whilst Percy and his crew, plying 
sword and pistol butt, struck down a full half 
hundred of them ere they could reach the shelter 
of the woods. 

Then the Captain, wisely relinquishing the 
pursuit, returned to the inclosure, his men carry- 
ing our wounded, which proved to be six, but only 
one seriously, and this poor fellow died of his hurt 
before morning. 

So the fight with the Paspahegs ended, and 
quiet brooded once more over Jamestown. 

When I returned to the Governor’s that night 
Mistress Joan seemed glad to see that I was alive 
and unhurt. 

“I have heard great things of you, Master 
Richard,” she said pleasantly. “They tell me 
you dispatched three savages with as many strokes 
of your sword.” 

“I but imitated your gallant partner in that,” 
I responded with a smile. “Ah, but Captain,” 
I added, turning to Percy and holding out my 
hand, “I envy you the adventure at the gate. My 
faith, ’twas bravely done!” 

“It served well enough, sir,” he returned simply 
and modestly. 


148 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


And any ill feeling born of jealousy I may have 
had toward this noble gentleman was buried in 
the warm, honest clasp of his hand in mine. 


149 


CHAPTER XV. 


WE FIND A GREAT TREASURE AND I OFFEND MY 
LADY. 

Roslin did not return to Sir Christopher 
Gardiner. Though a strange youth and given 
to dark and melancholy moods, he had yet some 
natural desire to retain the doubtful boon of 
existence. 

Some pressure was brought to bear upon him 
to tell us of his masters whereabouts, for it was 
desired to capture him and bring him to justice 
for his dastardly crime. But this secret Roslin 
could not be persuaded to divulge. 

“The evil is done,” he said. “It cannot now 
be mended. ” 

“But why shield the infamous scoundrel? 
Why leave him free to carry out other and greater 
villainies ?” he was asked. 

A strange sharp look came into his eyes. 

“I have said everything that I would,” he 
replied stubbornly. 

Seeing that it was useless to question him further 
on this, I then asked him to relate to us what had 
happened when Gardiner discovered the trick 
that had been played upon him for Joan’s escape 
from the ship. Sir Christopher raved and swore 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


in a terrible manner, he told us, then beat him 
until he fell in a faint, well-nigh dead. Then was 
he locked up and given no food for two whole days 
until after his master’s return from the island with 
the belief that he had left Joan and I both dead. 

Our plans had been laid that the Golden Lyon 
should sail in the early morning, but some appre- 
hension of danger, growing out of late develop- 
ments, had induced Rolfe to delay for a few hours 
while some extra sakers and demi-culverins were 
fixed on the ship in case we needed them for 
defence. 

About noon, then, on one of the most beautiful 
days God ever made, my lady, Roslin and I went 
on board, and the canvas being spread and the 
anchor weighed, we sailed away for the Bermuda 
Isles and for fortune. 

Of our voyage, of the storm we encountered, 
and of our safe arrival on the seventh day, there is 
no need for me to write at any length. We sailed 
in through the opening in the reefs, and dropped 
anchor in the lagoon. 

Having previously noted the position of the 
sunken galleon by certain landmarks, I had no 
difficulty in locating her a second time. She lay 
in a rather more upright position than before, and 
there was no longer to be seen that hideous bloated 
face glaring up from the cabin window. 

Being eager to put our fortune to the touch, we 
lost no time in getting to work. The sea was 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


calm, the day fair, and everything favorable for 
our purpose. The diver was made ready and 
sent down to break open the hatches. 

A few hours later we might have been seen 
gathered on the quarterdeck of our vessel, gazing 
with eager, excited eyes and quickly beating hearts 
upon five good-sized chests, strongly bound and 
securely fastened. 

There be many who love to let imagination 
revel upon such a scene as this, to extract from it 
incidents that send the blood coursing swiftly 
through one’s veins, and sooth, I myself am here 
tempted to let my pen wander and to set down 
purely out of fancy how that the pirate now sud- 
denly returned and fiercely attacked us, how that 
after a desperate battle in which blood flowed like 
water we at length beat them off — or perchance 
were captured by them, and then — and then — 
But no, having thus far kept honestly to the 
verities, let me still hold myself in check, and set 
down simply what happened, nothing less, nothing 
more. 

As the lids fell back one after another under 
the blows of the ship’s carpenter, we stood spell- 
bound at the sight before us. There, exposed to 
our view, lay great wealth in pieces of gold, jeweled 
armlets, tiaras, and necklaces, little heaps of gems 
unset, with quantities of rich gold plate graven 
with fantastic and exquisite designs — a treasure 
worth a King’s ransom. 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


I gathered up a handful of the loose, glittering 
stones and let them trickle through my trembling 
fingers. There were diamonds, rubies, opals, 
emeralds, blue sapphires, and many gems abso- 
lutely unknown to me. As they poured from my 
hand back into the chest, the peculiar rustling 
tinkle that they made seemed in my ears like a 
joyous whisper repeating: “Riches! Riches! 
Riches !” — and for a moment I stood there as one 
under enchantment. 

Rolfe’s voice roused me. 

“What devil’s fascination is in these things ?” 
said he wonderingly. ‘ ‘ Beshrew me, but had there 
been such gauds in Eden, they had purchased a 
heavier curse for us than any apple.” 

We took out all the glittering stuff and laid it, 
piece by piece, upon the deck, making a rough 
estimate of its worth, and fingering it the while 
with the gloating satisfaction of possession, with 
a joy akin to that of the miser telling over his gold. 
It was ours, all ours, every fragment of it, and it 
meant for us, Rolfe and I, a life of ease and plenty 
for the remainder of our days. 

When the list was completed, and Rolfe had 
summed it up, he announced in exhilarant tones: 

“Ninety thousand pounds!” 

“Say eighty!” I cried, making a liberal allow- 
ance for over-figuring. “A good forty thousand 
apiece. Rolfe, man, art satisfied with the venture ?’ 5 

“’Twas a lucky day when I met thee, Dick,” 
returned Rolfe exultantly. “We are made men!” 


I S3 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Mistress Forrest now stepped forward. 

“I am so glad,” she said, holding out her hand 
to me. 

What mad impulse was it that seized me ? Had 
the sight of so much riches turned my brain, ren- 
dering me a thoughtless, tactless fool ? I stooped to 
the pile of gold and jewels at my feet, snatched 
up a costly and beautiful diamond necklace, and 
in a twinkling had hung it across her extended 
palm. 

She dropped it as if it had been a venomous 
snake. Her face went pale and her eyes flashed. 

“Sir!” she cried angrily. “Sir, I am not a 
beggar asking alms!” 

Immediately I realized what a brutal thing I 
had done — shamed her there before them all. 
She had but meant in the warmth of her kindly 
feelings to congratulate me upon my good fortune ; 
while I, by my ill-timed act, had made it appear 
that she had held out her hand for a portion of 
the treasure. 

“Your pardon, my lady!” I cried penitently. 
“Now I have offended you. It was not meant 
so, I assure you.” 

She snatched away the hand that I had seized 
and turned her face away, and would not answer 
me. 

“Do not be angry!” I pleaded earnestly, kneel- 
ing before her. “Do forgive my thoughtlessness. 5 ’ 

Her proudly erected form relaxed a little, and I 


*54 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


knew that she was relenting. Then she turned 
again to me, and I saw that her eyes were wet. 

“ There,” she said through her tears, “I cannot 
believe you meant to wound me.” 

“God is my witness to it!” I cried, taking her 
hand again and pressing it to my lips. “Alas, 
my lady, that my good impulses seem ever to come 
at the wrong moment.” 

“Better then than never,” she said, with her 
ever-readiness to excuse my blunders. 

With another pressure of my lips upon her hand, 
a pressure of more than gratitude, I rose to my 
feet. 

And so my peace was made, and we were only 
the truer friends for my slip after all. And more 
than that, I was made by this slight incident to 
realize more than ever the sensitiveness, the no- 
bility and the sweetness of her nature. 

We now busied ourselves replacing the treasure 
in the chests, and this done we had them refastened 
and stowed safely away under the cabin floor. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


I HAVE IT OUT WITH SIR CHRISTOPHER. 

On the afternoon of the same day, everything 
being ready for our voyage northward early on 
the morrow, Rolfe gave orders to our trusty mate 
to have the water casks replenished; and then 
we set off over the ridge to visit Somers’ Hall, 
where Joan and I had passed those happy hours 
ere the Margaret hove in sight to take us off. 

Leaving Joan at the Hall with the youth to keep 
her company, for the walk had tired her a little, 
I strolled with Rolfe over to the other houses, and 
we went through and examined them all, my com- 
panion taking notes upon them and upon the lay 
of the land and its resources. 

Returning from this, as we approached the 
Hall, Rolfe stopped for a moment to make a sketch 
of it in his notebook. I, meanwhile, strolled on 
toward the building, and coming near it without 
noise, for the sand was fine and soft under foot, 
I beheld through the window that which was not 
meant for my gaze. 

Joan was seated and Roslin was kneeling at 
her feet. My lady’s arm rested across the youth’s 
shoulder, and she was bending affectionately over 
him, her eyes soft and tender. 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


The feeling that rushed over me on seeing this 
it is not in my power to describe. Nor is there 
need of description or analysis, for those who 
have passed through a like experience will know, 
and those who have not could never be made fully 
to understand were the ocean ink and every pine 
a pen to write it dry. 

When I looked again — their faces were at such 
an angle that I was unseen by them — my lady 
seemed to draw the youth to her, and I saw her 
kiss him on the brow. Then, smiling sweetly 
upon him, she rose, and next moment they ap- 
peared at the door. 

My manner must have been constrained as 
we walked back over the hill, for my lady noticed 
a change in it, and bade me tell her what was the 
matter. I pleaded that the hot sun had given 
me a headache — a thin enough excuse, surely, 
for one of my life — but she took it in good faith, 
not knowing I had observed her through the 
window; and so when presently we came to a 
stream, she dipped her kerchief therein, and 
insisted upon binding it over my brows for relief. 

After this I seemed to grow better, and she was 
pleased at her doctoring, but she did not know 
that it was her sweet solicitude and not the cool 
water that had restored me. 

It was almost dark when we got back to the 
Golden Lyon, and as we should need the shallop 
no more before sailing, we gave orders to have it 
hoisted on board. 


*57 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Anything to report, Master Barton?” inquired 
Rolfe of the mate. 

“Nothing, sir, save that a ship sailed by close 
in shore.” 

“A ship! What rig?” I asked quickly. 

“Brigantine, sir.” 

“Ah! Did she show any signs of seeing our 
vessel?” 

“She made no signal, sir.” 

“And she disappeared where?” 

“Around yonder headland.” 

“Friend Rolfe,” said I, “I have my suspicions. 
Let a double watch be set to-night. It is well to 
be prepared.” 

“You think, then, that — ” 

“That Gardiner has somehow found out our 
destination and followed us. He is not one to 
be easily shaken off.” 

“I had feared as much,” said he, “when I de- 
layed to take on the demi-culverins. ” 

“These will scarce serve us in the dark,” I 
told him. “You may be sure Gardiner will not 
give us a square fight. He will endeavor to capture 
us by surprise. We must have up the pikes and 
cutlasses. ” 

Master Barton was given the necessary orders, 
and bidding him have us called on the instant 
should anything of a suspicious nature be observed 
we went into the cabin for supper. 

The evening passed quietly enough, and we 

158 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


began to hope that our fears were unfounded. 
The moon rose, but the sky was full of scudding 
clouds, and her light shone out only intermittently. 

We, that is, my lady, Roslin, Rolfe and I, had 
spent an hour or two on deck, when, the air grow- 
ing rather chill, Mistress Joan and the youth re 
turned to the cabin. Rolfe and I remained where 
we were, talking and dallying over our pipes. 

My companion was telling me many interesting 
things about Pocahontas, his dear, lost Princess 
wife, and also of Capt. John Smith and his won- 
derful adventure with the three Turks, when 
suddenly, as the moon shone out, I fancied I saw 
a moving speck upon the water near the headland. 

Still listening to Rolfe’s entertaining talk, and 
at the same time indulging some thoughts of my 
own regarding Smith which were scarcely compli- 
mentary to the famous Captain, I continued my 
gaze in that direction, and soon made out beyond 
peradventure that the speck was a boat loaded 
with men. 

“By heaven, John, we have not been mistaken !” 
cried I, starting to my feet. “Look yonder!” 

He looked. 

“Gardiner or pirate, let him come on!” he said, 
defiantly. “We shall give a good account of 
ourselves. ” 

Ere the moon was lost again behind a large 
cloud that was spreading toward it, we had time 
to see a second boat following close upon the first, 


*59 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and after that a third. It was clear enough that 
we would presently have our hands full. 

There was a lively scene on board the Golden 
Lyon for the next few minutes, as we made hurried 
preparations to repel the attack. We had a double 
treasure now to guard, wealth and the maid’s 
honor, and the thought inspired us with a double 
courage. 

It may have been ten minutes later, when, as 
the moon shone out again, we beheld the boats 
close at hand, and all three approaching us on 
the same side. 

“Give them a shot, Master Barton!” cried 
Rolfe. 

The mate aimed one of the culverins, fired, and 
sent nine pounds of metal at them. The mark 
was a small and unsteady one, and he missed. 

“A bit low, sir,” said I. “Try it again.” 

Running to a second culverin he again aimed 
and fired. This time the shot reached its mark. 
We saw the splinters fly from the foremost boat, 
and heard the shouts and curses of her crew as 
she sank and left them floundering in the sea. 

We saw, too, one of the other boats turn aside 
to pick up their struggling, sputtering comrades, 
and then the unaccommodating moon sank again 
behind a cloud. 

“Well aimed!” cried Rolfe to the mate, approv- 
ingly. “By the Lord, sir, you have given them 
something to think about!” 


160 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“’Twas a good large pill,” I put in lightly. 
“May it purge the scoundrels of their intention. 
But ’tis doubtful; they have too persistent a devil 
for their leader.” 

Seeing that the noise had brought Mistress 
Forrest and Roslin on deck, I went over to where 
they stood beside the cabin. 

“Then it is true,” she cried, in some alarm. 
“We have not yet escaped him!” 

“Fear not, my lady,” I replied, encouragingly. 
“We have already sunk one of their boats. We 
shall repulse them, take my word for it! I would 
though, that you remain safe in the cabin, for we 
are like to have a busy and exciting time of it.” 

“Nay,” she pleaded, “let me remain, I may 
be able to help you.” 

“These delicate hands,” said I, taking them 
gently in mine. “How could they help?” 

“Still, dear friend, let me stay, I pray you,” 
she urged. 

“Ay, then,” I responded, seeing her mind was 
set upon it, “but stir not from this and keep low, 
for the sight of you may feed the knight’s courage, 
and so be against us.” 

“That will I do, ” she agreed thankfully. “And 
now be you careful, my friend, my brave champion. 
Run not more risk than you must, for were you 
to fall — ” she paused. 

“Were I to fall?” I repeated questioningly 
and with a strange, wild hope in my heart. 


161 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Her eyes fell before my gaze. It was too dark 
to see their expression. 

“It would— it would be pitiful for you to fall 
at the very threshold of fortune,” she said. 

“Only that!” sighed my heart in deep disap- 
pointment. “Only that!” and for a few moments 
I stood there before her in silence. 

A call from Rolfe roused me, and with a hasty 
word of adieu to my lady, I ran to his side. 

“They come! they are here! See!” he said, 
pointing; and as I looked a boat shot swiftly 
out of the gloom and made toward the forepart 
of our vessel. 

The culverins and sakers were now of no ser- 
vice; the fight must be hand to hand. 

A moment later the bow of the boat had touched 
the ship’s side, and our assailants had hooked 
fast. 

Rolfe and I were armed with sword and pistol. 
We leaned over and discharged the latter weapons 
full into the boat, and one of the pirates threw 
up his hands with a yell and toppled overboard. 
In accomplishing this we, of course, drew their 
fire in return, but owing to the rocking of the 
boat their aim was poor, and we stepped back 
unhurt. 

They now made a desperate attempt to board 
us, clambering up the side, one over another, like 
so many rats; but we met them with as desperate 
a resistance, and with pike and cutlass we scored 


162 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


and gashed them so that they fell back, some into 
the boat and others into the sea. 

One of the bloody-minded villains, crawling 
along the outer side of the bulwarks, managed 
to reach the foremast shrouds, and up these he 
ran like a cat. He stopped half way to the mast- 
head, then standing on the ratlines he fired down 
upon us point blank. 

The bullet struck poor Barton full in the breast ; 
entering from above it tore its way down into his 
vitals, and he dropped to the deck mortally 
wounded. 

The murderer uttered a laugh of triumph, then 
to escape our vengeance he leaped boldly into 
the sea. 

We had repulsed our assailants, but they were 
yet far from beaten. They still clung to us, await- 
ing fresh energy and getting ready to attack us 
again. 

“By the Lord, John!” cried I, “these men are 
no common sailors. They are a lot of blood- 
thirsty buccaneers!” 

“Ay,” he said, “belike it is not your friend Sir 
Christopher after all. Perchance these are no 
other than the pirates you saw chasing the galleon.” 

“If they did not fatten the sharks that same 
day — ” I had no time to say more for just then 
there came a cry of alarm from the maid. 

The other boat which, in the excitement of 
the moment we had well nigh forgotten, had made 

163 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


a detour and drawn up on us on the opposite side, 
and was already made fast to the Golden Lyon. 

Shouting out to our men for half of their number 
to follow us, Rolfe and I dashed across to meet 
our new foe. Before we had time to reach the 
opposite bulwarks, however, a man leaped over 
and gained the deck. Another followed close 
behind him. The moon was now shining out 
again, and we could see our enemy with great 
distinctness. 

“ Gardiner !” I cried to Rolfe, who was rushing 
at the foremost of these two. “ Leave him to 
me!” 

He did so, slipped by, and encountered the 
second fellow, whom he engaged fiercely sword to 
sword. 

“Have at you, vile marplot !” cried the knight, 
making a furious pass at me. 

“Have at you, scoundrel, abductor, ravisher 
of innocence !” I retorted, parrying — then with a 
swift riposte I caught him on the right shoulder. 

It was but a touch, the merest graze, but it 
seemed to madden him. A fierce oath broke 
from his lips. He became a fiend of rage, his 
face horrible to look upon. He rushed upon 
me as if by the very fury and breathlessness of 
his attack he would do for me offhand. 

I fell back a pace or two before his furious on- 
slaught, then planted my feet firm, clenched my 
teeth, and fought as I had never fought before. 

164 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Yet hardly had we made a dozen passes ere confi- 
dence came to me. I had felt my opponent’s 
weakness in his blade. Drink, and the devil 
had done it. Skill he had left and brute strength, 
but his nerve was gone utterly. 

My game then was a waiting one, and so I 
played it, keeping wholly on the defensive, my 
eyes fixed keenly upon his, and with a lightning 
parry for every lightning thrust, reserving my 
strength for the one supreme and perfectly-timed 
effort which should lay the scoundrel dead at my 
feet. 

We had moved aside from the general fight. I 
was vaguely conscious that a fierce struggle was 
going on on the deck near us, that Mistress Joan 
from her position at the cabin door, was looking 
on with face outstretched and drawn with anxiety, 
almost terror. For myself I had no fear, no 
anxiety, no feeling save a calm confidence in the 
outcome. 

We had been at it for what seemed an age. 
Slowly and surely I wore him out. With little 
openings that invited furious attack, I lured my 
antagonist to the wasting of his strength. Half 
blind with rage he fell into every trap, and my face 
must have been set with a gloating smile of as- 
sured victory. 

Gardiner was now breathing heavily, gasping, 
and on his forehead stood great drops of sweat. 
A ghastly look had come upon his face. A keen 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


joy seized me, the joy of a tiger worrying its prey. 
I could have thrust him through the heart with 
ease, but still delayed the stroke gloating over my 
triumph. 

Then strangely the feeling passed, and another 
took its place, a feeling of pity for the man’s utter 
helplessness. I had held back too long, defeating 
my own purpose. Villain though he was, I could 
not now kill him. It would be murder. 

Suddenly he realized what I had done to him, 
saw the light of triumph on my face, and it crazed 
him. 

“Vile trickster ! ” he snarled. “ Despicable cur ! ” 
and was at me again with the pitiable rem- 
nant of his strength. 

I put him by as I would a child, laughing in 
sheer derision — then on a sudden changed my 
tactics, feinted swiftly, then lunged with all my 
might. The wretched fool came to guard, but 
bah! my blade shot cleanly through the thick of 
his sword arm, swiftly and cleanly as a shuttle 
through a snap-loom. Another fearful oath broke 
from his lips, and his weapon fell clattering upon 
the deck. 

Threatening him still with my point, I swept 
his fallen sword into reach with my foot, stooped 
for it and flung it into the sea. 

Our fight ended, I woke suddenly to the condi- 
tion of things about us. The deck was red and 
slippery with blood, while scattered about upon 


166 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


it lay the bodies of ten or a dozen poor fellows, 
dead or wounded. 

Rolfe and the others were still at it, still strug- 
gling with our assailants, though they had beaten 
the scoundrels back to the boats, and now fought 
in two groups on opposite sides of the ship, strug- 
gling furiously to prevent the pirates from getting 
a new foothold. 

On the right I could see that we had them well 
in hand, but on the port side matters looked more 
dubious. I saw the pirates swarm again up the 
side, fighting and cursing like very devils and 
threatening every moment to beat back our brave 
fellows by the fury of their onslaught. 

Suddenly above the bulwarks darted an ugly 
scowling face which I instantly recognized. It 
was my old enemy Cole. He had craftily clam- 
bered along the outside of the bulwarks unseen, 
thinking that when he rose up he would find none 
there to resist him. One leg was already thrown 
over our rail to leap on board when I was upon 
him, and with a thrust that had all my strength 
and fury behind it, I plunged my sword through 
him to the hilt. A howl of rage and pain burst 
from his lips and he fell backward into the sea. 

This act had carried me some yards forward, 
and I now turned hastily back to where Rolfe 
was fighting, and God wot there was need, for 
the scoundrels were pressing him sorely, when on 
a sudden my blood went cold with fear and dismay. 

167 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Joan had bounded from her place at the cabin, 
and was rushing into the midst of the fight. I 
caught a look at her face. It was white and drawn . 
Had she gone mad? 

“Back, my lady! Back for your life!” I 
screamed at her. 

But she gave no heed. In an instant she was 
at the side, it seemed amid the very clash of 
bloody weapons. Horror seized me, thinking to 
see her in a moment writhing upon the deck. I 
had not yet gained her side when she stooped 
quickly, caught up a twelve-pound shot that lay 
at her feet, and hurled it with all her might down 
into the ruffians’ boat. 

In another instant I had caught her and pulled 
her back, but there was little need. A crash of 
splintering wood had followed her strange assault, 
then yells of pain from those who had been in the 
path of the deadly missile; next a hundred fierce 
oaths from the baffled scoundrels, who, struck 
with terror at this new calamity, began to drop 
pell mell back into the shattered and half-sinking 
boat. The novelty of the weapon, the unexpect- 
edness of the blow had absolutely demoralized 
them. With the slash of a cutlass they severed 
the fastenings, pushed off, and made for the shore, 
rowing and bailing like demons, lest they sink and 
feed the sharks before they could reach land. 

Their fright and awkward haste was ludicrous 
enough to us safe on board, and we gazed at 


168 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


them with an amused laugh, feeling no shame to 
enjoy the discomfiture of such bloody-minded 
ruffians. 

But we were not wise in this, and for me it came 
near to ending disastrously. The smile had not 
yet died from our faces, when suddenly we were 
startled by a terrified scream from the maid. In 
Heaven’s name, what now ? was my swift thought. 
What new danger was upon us? Instinctively 
I turned and leaped to her protection. I had not 
moved from where I stood a second too soon. 
Sir Christopher, left to himself, and for the moment 
forgotten, had snatched from its place a heavy 
iron belaying pin, and crept up behind us. He 
was in the very act of bringing the deadly bar 
down with an infuriate blow upon my unprotected 
head, when, by God’s mercy, Joan had turned 
and caught him. 

Seeing himself foiled, a curse broke from his 
lips. Rolfe sprang upon him like a tiger, and 
with a swift blow of his fist sent the treacherous 
devil sprawling upon the deck at our feet. 

“You dog!” cried Rolfe, about to despatch 
him with his sword. “You contemptible treach- 
erous cur! Have you no shred of honor? Have 
you no spark of common human decency in you 
that you would murder one who has spared your 
dastardly life?” 

“Hold!” I interposed, grasping his uplifted 
arm. “Hold, John! put up your weapon, man. 

169 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Do not soil it, do not disgrace it with such heart’s 
blood.” 

“Ay!” said he, “you are right, Dick. Swords 
for the brave, the fair fighter, but for this treacher- 
ous hound a stout hempen necklace, by Heaven ! — 
Bring ropes, men,” he added, “bring ropes and 
bind the dog securely.” 

When the crew that Mistress Forrest had de- 
moralized had taken themselves off, the other 
crew, already in a poor case, had done likewise, 
leaving us victors of the fight, though not without 
the loss of several of our men. Two had been 
killed outright and four others, including poor 
Master Barton, were severely wounded; while 
no less than seven of the pirates lay dead upon 
our blood-stained deck. 

Mistress Forrest had gone below, now that the 
stress was over, sick at heart, I doubted not, over 
so much blood and carnage. 

“By the Lord, Dick!” cried Rolfe, seeing that 
she had disappeared, “you may trust a woman’s 
wit and pluck under any circumstance. I’ll 
warrant they found that no dainty bounce ball 
she hurled upon them. Now why the devil didn’t 
the thought come to me!” 

“Because,” I ventured, “in such cases we 
men seem naturally to do the even, the planned, 
the calculated thing, but women the odd, the ex- 
ceptional, the unexpected — Look yonder where 
the villains go! By heaven, John, I am minded 
to send a shot after them to quicken their speed.” 


170 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Let be!” said Rolfe easily. “Let them go, 
in the devil’s name. They were but tools after 
all. Here stands the dastardly instigator.” 

During this brief colloquy Gardiner stood there 
scowling, his hands firmly secured behind him. 
In common humanity we dressed and bound up 
the wound in his arm, then gave him safe quarters 
in the hold until we could consult on the question 
of his punishment and disposal. 

“The wheel has but taken another turn,” he 
said defiantly, as he stood by the ladder, ready 
to descend. 

I gave him no answer. 

He flashed me a look of mortal hatred and dis- 
appeared below. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


A SINGULAR DISAPPEARANCE. 

That night we were troubled no more, indeed 
we expected no trouble, for our assailants had 
been too badly beaten to again attempt our 
capture. Moreover, they had not now the arch- 
villain to urge them to a new attack. Next morn- 
ing as we left the islands we looked closely, but 
could discover no trace of their ship. The sur- 
vivors had sailed away, leaving Gardiner to his 
fate. 

Poor Barton died of his wounds before we had 
lost sight of land, and we buried him at sea, as 
we had already done with the other poor fellows. 

We had decided in the matter of Sir Christopher, 
that we would keep him in close confinement in 
the hold until we arrived at our destination. 
Then we would turn him over to the outraged 
Puritans, feeling assured that he would be meetly 
punished. 

“What think you they will do with him?” 
Rolfe asked. 

“They will hang and gibbet him unless I am 
greatly mistaken,” I replied. “It is none too 
severe a fate for the scoundrel.” 

Roslin was standing near us, and as I said this 
he gave a strange little cry. 


172 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“What is it, lad?” I inquired, stepping quickly 
to his side. 

“It is nothing, sir; nothing,” he replied in 
some confusion. “At times, lately, a sharp pain 
seems to catch me here,” laying his hand upon 
his heart, “and I must fain cry out with it.” 

“I fear the late excitement has been too much 
for you, my lad,” said I gently. “Go below 
and lie down.” 

“Ay, sir, that may help me,” he responded, 
and did forthwith as I had advised. 

Going down into the cabin a little later I saw 
him reclining on the settee, his head resting on 
my lady’s lap, and her hand clasped in his. I 
passed through without speaking and went to 
my own small room, where I remained for some 
hours in moody reverie. 

They were bitter hours these, hours of heart 
sickness, for with all the fair prospect that a compe- 
tence held out to me, never before felt I so much a 
lonely dweller in the wilderness of the world. My 
ambition, the object of my coming, these I had 
attained, but alas, in doing so I had lost my heart’s 
peace, and with it the power to enjoy the things 
I had so long coveted. 

On the ninth day after our start from the isles 
of fortune, we dropped anchor in the harbor of 
Shawmut. The sensations, or rather emotions, 
that were mine as I heard the heavy iron splash 
into the water this second time are not easy to 


m 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


describe. I only remember that a weight seemed 
lifted from my mind and that I felt thankful to 
Heaven that all the labor and hardship and danger 
of the past few weeks had not been in vain. 

Clearly the first duty incumbent upon us was 
to restore Mistress Forrest to her loving and mourn- 
ing relatives; so leaving our prisoner in charge 
of Master Bristow, the new mate, we went ashore. 

Before starting, however, I gave instructions 
to Bristow that if any one should arrive with an 
order signed by my hand, he was to deliver Gar- 
diner over to such. This I told him thinking 
that possibly we might somehow arrange while 
ashore for the disposal of our incubus. 

The youth Roslin accompanied us, and it was 
noticed that his manner was unusually strange 
and preoccupied. Not even Joan, who was now 
in great spirits, seemed able to arouse him. 

On the way to Dudley’s my lady met a goodly 
number of her friends and acquaintances, and, of 
course, there were many stoppings and much talk. 
During one of these greetings upon the road, 
Roslin disappeared. 

We made all possible search and inquiry for 
the lad, but could find no trace of him anywhere. 
It was as though the earth had gaped and swal- 
lowed him up. 

At length we gave up looking and walked on, 
Joan ahead, arm in arm with one of her girl friends. 

“A most singular lad,” observed Rolfe, refer- 


174 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


ring to the missing page. “There has been some 
intense disappointment in his life unless I am 
greatly mistaken. A deep one, else the natural 
buoyancy of youth would have cast it off.” 

“He has had a hard master,” I responded. 
“He is a super-sensitive, delicate youth, and 
Gardiners ill-treatment seems to have crushed 
him. ” 

“Perchance, too, ’tis on account of his love for 
the maid.” 

“Nay, does she not love him in return?” 

“She is kind to him, ” said Rolfe. “ But women 
are strange creatures. Mayhap it is but pity for 
his sorrow, his melancholy.” 

“Think you so?” I asked eagerly. “Think 
you so, John?” 

But alas! I had witnessed too much to believe 
that, and as I recalled the scene in the cabin and 
at Somers’ Hall, I could not encourage my heart 
with hope. I changed the subject immediately, 
and we talked on other matters until presently 
we arrived at Ralph Dudley’s. 

The news of our coming had preceded us, and 
Master and Mistress Dudley ran out to meet us, 
and seizing Joan they well nigh smothered her 
in kisses and embraces. Then there were tears 
of joy on both sides, and afterward welcoming 
and warm handshaking for all of us. 

This over, we were led up to the house, and 
there was no trouble too great to be undertaken 
for our comfort and refreshment. 


I 7S 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


In a little while my lady played on the spinet 
for us, and very charmingly she did it, and 
Mistress Dudley sang sweetly some English songs 
that took us on the wings of fancy home again 
to the dear old land we all loved. 

And so what with the talk and the music and 
the feasting three or four hours passed away 
before we knew it, and at length Rolfe and I 
rose to take our leave. 

“Dear friend,” said Mistress Forrest, extend- 
ing her small delicate hand to me. “How can 
I ever thank you enough for the great sacrifice 
of time and comfort that you made for me, a 
stranger to you ; and for that you saved me from 
a fate worse than death?” 

I bowed in acknowledgment of her gracious 
words and raised her hand to my lips. 

“God knows, lady,” said I, “it was no sacrifice, 
but a pleasure such as I shall never know again.” 

We were standing a little apart from the others, 
and as I spoke my feelings overcame me, and for 
a full half minute I could say no more. 

“It is all over now,” at length I managed to 
add, my voice trembling. “The danger is past, 
and you are safe at home.” 

“All — over?” she whispered, with downcast 
eyes. “Do you wish it so?” 

“Do I — wish — ” I began; and then, remem- 
bering — “Ah, lady, if my wish were all!— But it 
may not be!” 


176 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Her manner changed. She drew herself up 
proudly. 

“You are a strange man, Master Carthew,” 
she said. “I cannot understand you.” 

With this she moved over toward the others, 
and a moment later we all stood at the door, bid- 
ding each other adieu. 


177 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


IN WHICH THERE SEEMS TO BE FORFEIT OF LOVE. 

When we left the house Ralph Dudley went 
with us. It had been arranged between us that 
he was to go and fetch Capt. Miles Standish with 
his men to be at the landing, while we went and 
brought Sir Christopher ashore. Our boat was 
waiting and we went on board. 

“Get up the prisoner, Master Bristow,” said 
I, as we stepped on deck. 

“The prisoner, sir!” 

“Ay, the prisoner,” I echoed. “We are going 
to land him.” 

“But he’s already gone, sir!” 

“Gone!” 

“Yes, sir,” replied the mate, “the youth came 
back with an order and half a dozen men, and I 
gave him up as you directed.” 

“The youth! You mean Roslin?” 

“Ay, sir.” 

“A thousand devils ! ” I cried in a fury. “ Gone ! 
Escaped us after all!” 

What did this all mean? The youth — was 
Roslin, then, a traitor? Had he left us on the 
street for this? Was he still loyal to that master 
who had been so cruel to him, and who had so 

178 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


clearly proved himself to be a dastard and a 
murderer ? 

“Here is the order, sir,” said the mate, handing 
me a slip of paper he had drawn from his pocket. 

“Forger as well as traitor!” I cried, examining 
it. “He has done his work well. You are not 
to blame, Bristow.” 

“Thank you, sir,” responded the mate with a 
touch of his finger to his cap. 

“When did this happen?” asked Rolfe. 

“About half an hour ago.” 

“The infernal imp had three good hours to 
work in. Now I’ll be sworn,” cried I, “that he 
sped post haste to Merry Mount and there got 
assistance from ‘Roaring Tom.’ Which way 
went the boat?” 

“They landed over yonder,” replied the mate, 
pointing. “I did not watch them further.” 

There was nothing for us to do but to return 
to the landing and inform Dudley and Standish 
that Sir Christopher had gone, escaped through 
a clever trick of his page. 

When Standish heard the news it put him in 
a passion. 

“The devil!” he cried — Standish was the soldier 
first, the Puritan afterward — “Now how did you 
let that happen?” and when everything was told 
him: “Oh, a precious pair!” he exclaimed, strut- 
ting up and down. “A slippery couple! Eels 
can’t compare with them! But we’ll catch them 
yet!” 


179 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“How do you intend to proceed?” I asked him. 

“I shall send out scouts immediately to their 
old haunts, also across to keep watch on Merry 
Mount,” replied the captain. “At the first 
inkling of their whereabouts we shall set off on 
their heels. We can do no more now. Disperse, 
men!” he said to his company. “But stand ready 
for call!” 

When I was alone again I fell to examining 
myself as to whether I was the more sorry or 
pleased at this new turn of affairs. Sir Christopher 
was a dangerous enemy to he free, and would cer- 
tainly be the cause of continuous apprehension 
on the part of the maid and her friends. 

On the other hand, the youth, her lover, had 
for some strange and unaccountable reason played 
havoc with his chances with Mistress Forrest, for 
surely, thought I, she could not forgive and con- 
tinue to love one who had set free her enemy, a 
man who would undoubtedly again persecute 
her with his base designs. 

Moreover, had not the youth clearly proved 
that his love for her was but secondary to his affec- 
tion for his master? How he could love such a 
master was a mystery beyond my solving, but love 
him he evidently did — and now I remembered 
and saw what was meant by the little cry of terror 
he gave while I was talking to Rolfe regarding 
Sir Christopher’s probable fate at the hands of 
the Puritans. It was no sudden pain at the heart, 
but a shock of fear for his master. 

180 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Another thing occurred to me, that by the 
youth’s treachery to his lady love I was released 
from the promise I had made concerning him. 
With Roslin out of the way, what was to hinder — 
but I rejected this thought almost before it was 
fully formed. If the maid’s heart was given, was 
it a ball on the end of a string that it could be 
pulled back at will and thrown to another? No, 
I told myself, she loves not me, and if she loves 
me not now, after all that has just passed, how 
could she ever love me ? So fair a chance to win 
her love would never come to me again, never. 

Rolfe came into the cabin at this point, and 
seeing the cloud upon my face he asked what was 
troubling me. Feeling the need of a friend’s 
sympathy, I told him all the story. 

“ So that is it, ” said my friend. “Tut, man, do 
not be so hopeless on the matter. One can be 
sure of nothing where a woman is concerned.” 

“If only I had not seen her kiss him so fondly,” 
I murmured like a love-sick loon. “If only my 
kisses upon her hand when we were alone together 
on the island had not seemed to displease her.” 

“Belike the maid had good reasons for both of 
these exhibitions — reasons other than you think,” 
returned Rolfe encouragingly. “Of course I 
cannot say, Dick; but look you now, awhile ago 
at the house I saw her give you a glance that would 
have sent many a man into ecstacies.” 

“She calls me her dear friend, her champion. 


181 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


I saved her, and she is grateful. That is all,” I 
said, refusing to be comforted. 

Rolfe came closer to me and placed his hand 
kindly on my shoulder. 

“ Faith, Dick, my lad, you are hard hit,” he 
said sympathetically. “But cheer up! Love is 
a maze with many winding paths. Sometimes 
when you think you are lost, another turn, and lo, 
you are at the goal.” 


182 


/ 


CHAPTER XIX. 


WE GO ON A MAN HUNT AND I COME TO GRIEF. 

On the day following that of their departure 
two of the scouts returned. They had scoured 
the country round about to the north and west, 
but had found no trace of Gardiner or the page. 
There was nothing for us to do but await the 
return of the third of the scouts who had gone in 
another direction. 

Of course the news of Sir Christopher’s escape 
had been told to Joan, and I heard from Rolfe 
that for the past few days she had seemed sad 
and melancholy. Despite the arguments with 
which I tried to encourage myself the day before, 
this condition of mind in the maid I now believed 
to be due to the strange conduct and absence of 
her young lover, Roslin; albeit when I spoke of 
this to Rolfe, he declared with a sly glance at me 
that again there might be other reasons. 

“You have not been to see Mistress Forrest,” 
he said significantly. “Why?” 

“I am no lady’s man, no knight of the carpet,” 
I responded rather crabbedly. “The atmosphere 
of a drawing room is stifling to me. It paralyzes 
my tongue.” 

“Even so,” he said, “’twould be a graceful 
thing to do.” 


183 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

But I had my own ideas on the matter. Why 
should I intrude upon her grief for the loss of an- 
other? It would only be painful to us both. 

The patient reader may here feel in the mood 
to fling these pages at the narrator for a pusil- 
lanimous blockhead, a coward to the heart’s core; 
but let him bethink him how that love makes fools 
of men, and that, as someone says: 

Trifles light as air, 

Oft to the lover, 

Are mountains of despair 
He can’t get over. 

“When she needs me,” I said, “when danger 
threatens, then I am ready to fly to her. Other- 
wise it is best that I see her no more, so that per- 
chance I may forget her.” 

“Oh, you stubborn-headed, singular man!” 
cried Rolfe in a half-disgusted, half-playful tone. 
“Oh, you faint-heart!” 

“Very well, John,” I assented good-humoredly. 
“I dare say you are in the right of it — but let’s 
not talk any more upon it. Tell me your plans. 
When do you sail for home?” 

“When Gardiner is caught, not a moment be- 
fore, ” he replied determinedly. “There’s nothing 
under the canopy to hurry me, and I’m thinking 
I would enjoy seeing that infernal reprobate hung 
as much as any of you. ” 

On the following morning the remaining scout 
came in with news. He had gone first to Merry 

184 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Mount; Sir Christopher, he found, had been there, 
but stayed only a little while, and then started 
southward. Following up the trail, he had finally 
located the knight on a small secluded island in 
the Cotonquit River. The page was with him, 
and they seemed well supplied with food and the 
wherewithal to defend themselves. 

That same afternoon a party consisting of 
Standish and a half a dozen of his band, the three 
Indians, Rolfe and myself, started off under the 
scout’s guidance. 

A little incident which occurred early in our 
march afforded us much amusement. As we 
were walking along through the woods, young 
Bradford, one of Standish’s fellows, stepped un- 
wittingly into a loop trap which the Indians had 
set for deer. Quick as lightning the bent sapling 
straightened, and up went poor Bradford’s leg 
into the air, upsetting him with such suddenness 
and force that before he knew it he was dangling 
from the tree head downward. The young fellow 
spluttered in astonishment and kicked vigorously 
to release himself, at the same time clawing at he 
branches, for all the world like a cat hung up by 
its tail. And so grotesque was the sight he made, 
that it was quite a few moments ere we could quit 
laughing sufficiently to assist him from his ridicu- 
lous position. 

At nightfall we camped in a grove beside a wide 
stream. We were all tired enough after our long 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


tramp, and all soon fell asleep — all, that is, save 
myself, who, being in a mood for quiet reflection 
had undertaken to keep watch until about mid- 
night. 

Everything was still, save for the low monot- 
onous voices of the forest, those nocturnal sounds 
in minor key which but intensify Nature’s silence. 

As I sat there with my back against a tree trunk 
I think I must have fallen into a doze, for all of a 
sudden I was conscious of a quick tramping sound, 
and I opened my eyes to see going on before me 
the most surprising and fantastic performance it 
had ever been my lot to witness. 

A hundred yards away, on the sandy margin 
of the stream, a large bull was galloping madly 
up and down, lashing his sides with his tail in 
apparent fury, while clinging to the creature’s 
back was an old man, his long, shaggy hair and 
loose garments streaming wildly behind him in 
the summer wind. 

My first thought was that I was dreaming; then 
having pinched myself and found that I was 
awake, I thought the rider must have come 
into such a perilous position through some acci- 
dent, and I would have hastened to his rescue, but 
that, looking more keenly, I saw that the beast 
was fully under control, and obedient to his rider’s 
will. 

Up and down on the gray sands they went in 
wild career, making in the stillness and the moon- 


186 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


light a most weird and uncanny sight. Seven 
or eight times they repeated this performance, 
then, as suddenly as they had come, man and 
beast disappeared again into the forest. 

Recovering my scattered wits I crawled over 
to where Standish lay sleeping, shook him awake, 
and related the curious scene I had just witnessed. 

“It’s that crack-brained, moon-struck owl, 
Blaxton,” he said, sitting up. “On clear nights 
it is a favorite amusement of his to mount Arch- 
bishop Laud for a mad gallop on the sands.” 

“Archbishop Laud?” 

“Ay, that is his famous mouse-colored bull,” 
Standish explained. “Blaxton brought it over 
from England, trained it and bestowed upon it 
the name of that prelate who, as you know, is our 
archenemy. The old man is a hermit, and is 
looked upon as only half sane.” 

We saw nothing further of Blaxton or his sin- 
gular steed, and the remainder of the night was 
passed in quietness. 

On the following afternoon we reached the 
Cotonquit River, and the scout pointed out to us 
Sir Christopher’s hiding place. It was a small 
island, or rather an islet, a few rods out from the 
shore, rocky and thickly wooded. 

Approaching it cautiously from the side most 
favorable for our purpose, we had the Indian 
swim out and reconnoitre. He reached it without 
a shot or any other indication that he had been 

187 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


observed, and in a few minutes he returned, re- 
porting that there were signs there of recent occu- 
pation of the spot, but that Gardiner and the lad 
were now nowhere to be seen. 

“ Doubtless they have gone in search of game 
for their larder,” suggested Rolfe. 

“Did they have a canoe?” I inquired of the 
scout. 

“A canoe. Ay, ” he replied. “White man had 
canoe. The print is there on the beach.” 

“What now?” Miles Standish was asked. 

“We shall divide our party,” said he, as one 
used to deciding promptly. “Let half remain 
here, while the others go down the river to a spot 
where the stream narrows. Here we shall attack 
him as he returns in the canoe. If he should 
break through one party he will fall into the hands 
of the other. But remember all, that Sir Chris- 
topher Gardiner must be taken alive.” 

“Unless there is danger of his again escaping 
us,” I protested. “If so, then shoot the villain 
down without hesitation.” 

Rolfe and I, Standish, and the three Indians 
were of the party that went down the river, 
leaving Bradford in command of the rest by the 
island. We located ourselves at a spot where 
the river narrowed to perhaps a dozen yards, and, 
hiding ourselves in the brush, we waited. 

Half an hour passed — three-quarters — an hour 
— and still no sign of Gardiner — Would he never 


188 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


come? Another hour dragged its weary course 
along, and yet he came not. We were beginning 
to grow very weary of our vigil, for besides the 
strain upon our patience there were swarms of 
small flies to trouble us and make us heartily wish 
that the adventure was at an end. It was with 
intense relief, therefore, that we heard at last a 
little warning cry from one of the Indians on the 
outlook. 

We peered down the river. A canoe was ap- 
proaching. In it were two persons; even at that 
distance we made them out to be Sir Christopher 
and the youth. 

On they came, slowly paddling, utterly unsus- 
picious of what awaited them. 

We had planned that the Indians were to plunge 
into the river and make for the canoe to upset it. 
But as the two came nearer I observed something 
which caused me to modify our scheme of attack. 

“Wait,” I whispered to Standish, who stood 
ready to give the Indians the signal. “Gardiner 
has a musket at his elbow. Hold our fellows 
back a minute. I will first draw his fire, then set 
on the men. ” 

Not giving either Standish or Rolfe a chance 
to stay me, I hurried off to a little knoll nearby. 
Then with my usual foolhardiness I jumped up 
suddenly and shouted. The ruse succeeded. 
Gardiner snatched up his weapon and fired. 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Continuation by John Rolje . 

My impulsive young friend, Dick Carthew, 
may have had some thought that his act was a 
dangerous one, or he may not. Possibly there 
was a vague notion in his mind that Sir Christopher 
would be so startled that he would discharge his 
weapon wildly and without aim. If so, he was 
mistaken. Immediately after the shot I saw our 
unfortunate companion drop a limp heap upon the 
ground. He had been shot in the head. 

At once the Indians leaped into the river 
and swam for the canoe. Gardiner, not having 
time to reload, snatched out his little Venetian 
dagger and, wielding it desperately, threatened 
his assailants with instant death. 

The Indians stopped at a safe distance, then 
one of them dived and next moment came up on 
the further side of the canoe. Thus attacked 
on right and left, the Knight was put to it to remain 
afloat, the more that in keeping them off on both 
sides, he was in great danger of playing into 
their hands by himself upsetting the canoe. 

Roslin assisted his master, fiercely wielding 
the paddle as a weapon of defence. 

After this fight had been going on for several 
minutes, the inevitable happened; the frail bark 
was overturned. 

But Gardiner was not yet beaten. He stood 
there up to his middle in the water, still grasping 
his dagger and still defying his assailants. The 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


page still holding the paddle stood at his back, 
glaring hatred at their persecutors and ready to 
strike any who should attack his master from that 
quarter. 

Suddenly Standish called one of the Indians 
to him. He bade the redskin cut quickly three 
saplings and strip them of their branches. Then 
with these new weapons they beat upon the hands 
of Gardiner to knock the dagger from him. 

Blow after blow they rained upon him, head, 
and arms, and hands. The man, base as he was 
in his heart, had the invincible courage of a Spartan. 
Not till both hands had been cut and pounded 
into strips almost — for he continually shifted the 
dagger from one hand to the other — not till they 
were no longer able to hold the weapon in their 
clasp, did he drop it — and then the three closed 
in upon him like wolves upon a wounded stag, 
and the fight was over. 

My poor unfortunate friend Carthew, who 
meanwhile was laying unconscious from his wound, 
we got back to Shawmut as quickly as possible. 


I 9 I 


CHAPTER XX. 


I AM SMITTEN WITH A FEARFUL JEALOUSY. 

I came to myself in a strange room, the windows 
of which were heavily shaded. 

Someone was bending over me; at first, dazed 
as I was, and in the half light, I could not dis- 
tinguish who. 

“ Thank God he lives, he revives,” murmured 
a gentle voice in tones of great relief. 

My ears were keener than my eyes, quicker to 
recover their natural powers. The voice was that 
of my own dear lady. 

Her soft hand touched mine and slid along to 
my pulse. I strove to raise my free hand to place 
it upon hers, that by pressure I might make known 
to her how grateful I felt for her tenderness; but 
my strength was unequal to the effort. I tried 
to speak, but could not. 

My consciousness was but momentary. Joan 
seemed to fade from my sight as though a form 
of mist, and next moment I had relapsed into a 
mere lump of insensate earth. 

It was two days after this ere I was strong enough 
to be allowed to interest myself again in worldly 
affairs. Then Rolfe came in and told me all that 
had happened, substantially as he has set it down 


192 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


in the chapter just ended. And when he had 
gone I had a long talk with my lady, who told me 
what had happened afterwards; how that the 
surgeon had probed for the bullet, at first in vain, 
at last with success, removing it from its place in 
my head, where by continuous pressure upon 
some organ, some nerve or vein, it had kept me 
from recovering consciousness. The operation 
had been attended with great loss of blood, hence 
my weakness. 

I was lying in Dudley’s house, for it appears 
that Ralph, on learning that I was brought in sore 
wounded, would not hear of my being taken any- 
where else. 

With such a tender, thoughtful nurse as Joan, 
what sick man would not recover rapidly? With 
such a fair, sweet attendant, what sick man would 
wish to recover at all? 

Oh, the days we spent together! Oh, the hours 
of happiness I passed in that small and far from 
richly furnished chamber, lying there listening 
to her low, sweet voice as she read to me, now 
from some old tale of chivalry, now from my little 
book of Shakespeare — which we loved “for all 
the dangers it had passed” — and once in a while 
out of the Book of Books. And she had a gift 
for reading; what fire she could lend some passages, 
what pathos, what despair! 

“Ah, my lady,” I said to her, “what a player 
you would make! What a Portia, what a 


193 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Rosalind, what an Ophelia! I would that he of 
Avon could but hear you. ” 

At this she laughed, and cried out that I exag- 
gerated her poor powers. 

“Not one whit!” I protested. “Not one whit!” 
— then, bethinking me that the player was not 
held in high regard, but rather as a vagrant, and 
that my lord, her uncle, might not thank me if 
any words of mine should turn her thusward, I 
quickly changed the subject. 

“Think you ever of going back to dear old 
England?” I asked. 

“Ay,” she said, “I dream of it night and day.” 

“Doubtless you dread to go back alone?” 

“’Tis so,” she replied. “I do indeed. And 
the more after what has lately passed.” 

“Iam chartering a vessel soon, ” said I; though 
of a truth I had up to that moment no such thought. 
“Will you come?” 

“I have found you a good and pleasant sea 
mate,” she responded laughing. “Who knows 
but that I might.” 

“’Tis as good as a promise,” cried I in an 
equally happy mood. “I shall hold you to it. 
Remember!” 

“Nay, sir,” she protested with a bantering 
smile. “I have not said that I would. I know 
you only under circumstances. Who can tell 
but that on a ship of your own you might prove 
a veritable Blackbeard, or — or a flying Dutchman. ” 


194 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“And suppose that I should swear the great 
oath like that old Vanderdecken and we should 
have to sail the seas forever — we together — sup- 
pose I should ?” cried I, grasping her hand and 
looking full into her lovely eyes. 

‘ ‘Ah !” she laughed — then dropped her head blush- 
ing. “Fie, sir ! what is it you would make me say ?” 

The fancy has come to me that when awhile 
before I had told myself that a woman’s heart 
was not a ball on the end of a string that it might 
be thrown from one man to another, Fate must 
have been by and cried: “We shall see!” And 
when I would not go to the maid voluntarily, that 
the matter might be tested, Fate sent me to her 
via Gardiner’s bullet. A shrewd manipulator Fate. 

True, there was little talk of love between us, 
Joan and I, and that little was in an ambiguous 
strain, a cross banter of words which might mean 
something, or might equally mean nothing. Of 
late I was not so timid as formerly, not such a 
fool. Joan I had discovered to be a creature of 
earth, a lovely creature, God wot, and far more 
to be desired than the angel I had fancied her. 

I say there was no direct talk of love between 
us; yet there was a speech of glance, of touch, of 
tone, that could not be mistaken. Her eyes, her 
voice, her fingers were eloquent, and I had learned 
how to translate their eloquence. I believed 
that she loved me; and for myself I loved her ten 
times more than ever before, with a strong love 


195 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


now, with a love that had no check upon it of 
promise concerning another. My whole heart, 
my being, were hers, and to awake from the hope 
she had given me, as from a dream, I [felt would 
mean despair. 

In all our talk together Roslin was mentioned 
but once, and as my lady seemed disinclined to 
speak of the lad I deemed that her love for him 
was dead. 

So the time passed in happiness and without a 
cloud, and I grew steadily better. 

One day after I had been walking for an hour 
in the garden, for I was now almost fully restored, 
I was returning to my chamber, when, in passing 
the door of the sitting-room — it was the same 
room in which she had weeks before played her 
charming trick upon me — I beheld Joan eagerly 
perusing some missive. Glancing up and catch- 
ing sight of me, she fell into a sudden confusion 
and strove to thrust the crumpled letter into the 
bosom of her dress. 

Though struck with suspicion, I affected not 
to have noticed anything amiss, and spoke to her 
pleasantly about something of passing interest. 

Presently she left the room, and there upon 
the floor lay the note, where, in her hasty fumbling 
she had dropped it. I stooped to pick it up ; but, 
madly jealous as I was, I was yet impressionable 
to the demands of honor. I straightened up. I 
could not touch the thing. I left the folded paper 
where it lay, and went to my own chamber. 

196 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


I threw myself down on the bed and endeavored 
to calm myself. The effort was useless. In 
bending over the missive, two words had caught 
my eye on the outer fold, or rather one word and 
a portion of another: viz., “once,” and underneath 
it the latter half of the youth’s signature, and 
these were as live coals burning into my very 
brain. Roslin! What had he to say to her? 
Why had she stood so confused? Did she love 
him after all? The thought was hell’s torment. 

Twice I left my room determined to pick up 
the letter and read it. Twice I returned with- 
out degrading my manhood by this act of baseness. 

Stay! What need to read it? Did not the 
words seen suggest the message? “Come to me 
at once. Roslin.” Surely! ... Would she go? 
. . . Had she gone ? 

I ran to the window and looked down the road. 
Ay, it was so — there in the distance she walked 
— she upon whom I had set every hope, every 
desire of my life — speeding to the call of the 
youth, her traitorous lover. 

Honor to the winds. I was a fiend of jealousy. 
I hastened after her. I entered the house she 
entered. I bribed the mistress of it with a costly 
gem from my store of treasure, that I might spy 
upon her. I saw their meeting, their tears, their 
caresses. I fled from the house a raving mad- 
man, knowing not, caring not, whither I went. 


197 


CHAPTER XXI 


IN WHICH COMES A LITTLE LIGHT. 

I did not go back to Dudley’s that night, but 
roamed the woods distraught. 

Not fully recovered of my wound, I was not 
yet strong, and the damp and chill of the night 
took hold upon me. 

I was found by a couple of woodsmen in the 
morning, lying exhausted upon a bed of leaves 
and in a burning fever. Lifting me up they 
carried me to a house near by. 

Towards noon Joan came to me. 

“Dear friend,” she said with a gentle reproach 
in her tones. “What has come upon you? You 
have made yourself ill again.” 

Seeing that I was still in a raging fever, she 
prepared some medicine she had brought with 
her and handed it to me to drink. 

“Nay,” said I, pushing it away. “It is use- 
less. Life has nothing left in it for me.” 

“Come,” she pleaded, “drink.” 

“I care not to live,” I moaned. “Let me die.” 

“That I will not,” she returned. “Dear friend, 
be sensible.” 

“Ah!” said I, “but you do not know — ” 

“I know everything.” 

“And you say nothing! It was no mistake, 
no horrible dream?” 


198 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


She was silent. I turned away from her, turned 
my face to the wall, suffering agonies. 

“Richard/’ she said presently, her voice trem- 
bling. “Will you not trust me? In memory of 
all that has passed, can you not trust me?” 

There was a wondrous softness in her tone, a 
pleading that would have melted a heart of ice. 

I half turned toward her, relenting. She saw 
it, and then she said the thing that conquered 
me wholly. 

“Your life is not your own, Richard. I bought 
it — that day — on the ship. It is mine.” 

A flood of memories rushed over me. 

“God in heaven!” I cried. “It is so! It is so! 
I had forgotten ! Give me the draught, my queen 
— the draught! I will live only to do your 
bidding!” 

On the day following the fever had left me, 
and I had well nigh recovered the strength I had 
lost by my sudden fit of jealous fury and despair. 

Joan had come to me twice, and had spent 
several hours with me on each occasion and by 
her kind ministrations and cheerful spirits had 
helped me both in mind and body. 

We did not refer again to the incident that had 
so distracted me. My lady vouchsafed no ex- 
planation, and I asked her for none. When she 
was with me she inspired me with a perfect trust ; 
I felt that she could do nothing wrong, nothing 
base. As for the mystery of her conduct, the 


199 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


solving of that should be left to time and my lady’s 
own good pleasure. 

Yet I confess that when I was alone, when 
she had left me this second day, the matter still 
exercised my mind. It puzzled me, to say the 
least, and lest puzzling should turn into worry- 
ing, to divert my mind I seized my hat and strolled 
out into the open air. 

At first it did not seem that I had the strength 
to go far, but new vigor coming to me in the 
fresh breeze, I walked on and on. 

It was late in the afternoon, growing toward 
the dusk. The road was a lonely one and I had 
met not a single traveler upon it. 

At length, in the distance I beheld a man 
coming toward me. As we drew near to each 
other I saw that he was a young man, weary 
and footsore, and covered with dust and to all 
appearances a stranger in these parts. His face 
struck me as familiar, but in the twilight I could 
not be certain of it until he had come close 
up. Then I looked and was assured. 

“ Master Groves,” I exclaimed, “You!” 

He looked at me for a moment, puzzled. 

“I seem to remember you, sir,” he said, slowly; 
“but I have seen so many strange faces of late.” 

“Let me help you.” I said. “I have been very 
ill and have doubtless changed. You recall the 
ship Margaret — Master Levett — the sale of 
white slaves at the block?” 


200 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Ah!” he cried, seizing my hand and wringing 
it warmly. “Yes, now I know, now I remem- 
ber. The good friend who listened to my story, 
and who tried to save us. Look!” he said, point- 
ing to a scar on his cheek, formed like the letter 
R. “I tried to escape. They caught me and 
branded me like an ox.” 

“The brutes!” 

“Thank heaven, I eluded them at last,” he 
went on. “The villain I sought was not there. 
But all hell could not keep me from him. I 
have learned that he is here, living among the 
Puritans. I have come to seek him out, to kill 
him!” 

“To kill him? ’Twere unsafe in these parts 
to snatch the sword of Justice for one’s own using.” 

“I have sworn the base Knight’s death,” he 
cried fiercely. “To my mother on bended knee 
I swore it. Nothing shall turn me from my 
purpose.” 

“Knight!” I exclaimed, a light breaking in 
upon me. “Knight, say you?” 

“Yes,” he answered. “Knight foresworn, bran- 
ded — Sir Christopher Gardiner, otherwise known 
as Sir Fulk de Gorges.” 

I seized him by the arm excitedly. 

“In Heaven’s name!” I said, “we’ve been on 
the same chase and knew it not!” 

He stared at me in amaze. 

“How, sir!” said he. “What do you mean?” 


201 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“This, friend,” said I simply, “that I have 
been following the scoundrelly Knight over half 
the world, or he me — faith, I scarce know 
which — and that he lies at this moment secure 
in yonder block-house awaiting the gallows.” 

He started and looked where I pointed. An 
expression of fierce exultation leaped into his 
eyes. 

“Then I am not too late!” he murmured almost 
breathlessly. “The monster still lives, still 
breathes! — I thank Heaven!” he added fervently. 

“What would you now?” I asked, feeling his 
words were deep with purpose. 

“You know my oath, sir,” he responded with 
darkling brows. “Think you I have mastered 
the sword through nights of toil and come a thou- 
sand leagues to be cheated of vengeance in the 
end?” 

“Nay, but the miscreant dies on the morrow. 
Will not that suffice you?” 

“I have sworn his death,” he cried fiercely. 
“Mine is the prior claim, and I shall yield it to no one. 
I thank you, sir, for your courtesy. Farewell!” 

I would have still argued with the youth, but 
he would hold no further talk and passed quickly 
down the road. 


202 


CHAPTER XXII. 


THE MISCREANT’S LAST STRUGGLE. 

Feeling still strong, and with the natural 
gravitation of my body towards the place where 
my heart lay, I continued my walk to the Dudley’s. 
I reached the house just as they were sitting down 
to supper, and received a most cordial welcome 
and invitation. 

As soon as the meal was over, I called Mistress 
Joan to the door — it was a superb moon-lit 
evening — and told her of my meeting with the 
youth upon the road and what had passed 
between us. At my mention of the lad’s name, 
she gave a little start of surprise. 

“He here!” she cried. “Master Groves, did 
you say?” 

“Ay!” said I, puzzled by her manner. “Know 
you aught of him?” 

“No!” she returned, flushing a little, “no, 
save that — but I cannot tell you, Richard — 
not now — not yet.” 

Here was more mystery. What did it mean? 
But I had sworn in my heart to trust her, to trust 
her and be patient. 

“His threat, Richard, his threat!” she went 
on, grasping my arm in her excitement. “Think 
you he will carry it out?” 


203 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Her touch thrilled me. 

“Nay!” I responded confidently. “Gardiner 
is locked up safe enough; a soldier guards him.” 

“A soldier — only one?” she asked. “Sup- 
pose — suppose — ” 

“They could spare no more,” I put in as she 
hesitated. “You fear that Morton and his 
fellows might attempt a rescue. There is no 
danger, my lady. Standish and his men have 
captured that roystering crew. 4 Roaring Tom’ 
and his rascals are prisoners at Merry Mount.” 

“Yes,” she said, only partly relieved, “yes, 
but there’s the youth, there’s Master Groves. Oh, 
Richard, I am anxious, I am worried about it. 
You have your sword. Come!” 

I would have stayed her, or at any rate have 
informed Dudley of our going, but Joan would 
not hear of it, so I followed her towards the prison, 
which was a low, square, log building set some 
distance apart from the other dwellings. 

Hardly had we turned the corner of the road 
which brought the prison into view, when we 
saw that something was stirring, something was 
amiss. We hastened our steps, breaking at length 
into a run. 

We reached the spot out of breath, and paused 
behind a sheltering bush to reconnoitre. A bright 
moonlight flooded the large open space in front 
of the building, rendering every object clear to 
our view. A low cry of surprise broke from me. 
What we saw was this: 


204 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


On the sward near the entrance lay Sir Chris- 
topher’s guard, bound and gagged, where he had 
been thrown by his wily assailant. Master Groves 
had robbed him of his key and flung open the 
door of Gardiner’s prison, and now stood at the 
threshold with naked sword, staring with venge- 
ful eyes in through the black hole in the wall. 

“ Coward! Miscreant! Scoundrel!” he cried 
in a voice of fury. “Come out! Come out till 
I kill you!” 

There was no answer for a moment, yet a pair 
of fierce burning eyes, like those of a cornered 
wild cat, seemed to glare out from the darkness 
inside. 

“Dastard! Reptile! Spawn of Satan!” almost 
screamed the youth. “Come out, I say! Into 
the light, dog,, that I may have your heart’s blood ! ” 

The next instant Gardiner appeared in the 
opening. 

“ Insolent fool ! ” he roared, “what do you mean ? 
Who are you?” 

“You know me well enough, Sir Fulk de Gorges, 
or you shall! I am Lawrence Groves, brother to 
the maid you ruined and abducted. Come out, 
you hound! Come out, I say!” 

Gardiner started, but in an instant recovered 
himself, and his eyes flashed with rage and scorn. 

“Bah! you stripling! you puppy! Had I a 
weapon you should rue this folly!” 

His young opponent stooped quickly, snatched 


205 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


from the prone and helpless soldier his sword, 
and flung it with a clatter into the room. 

“ Monster and devil though you are, I would 
not murder you!” he cried, his tones thick with 
passion. “Now come on!” 

Gardiner stepped back into the darkness a 
moment, then rushed out, the guard’s sword in 
one hand, the other hand held behind his back. 

All this happened quickly, and for the moment, 
knowing his young accuser’s skill with the sword, 
I was loath to interfere, to deny the lad his proper 
vengeance. Moreover Joan clung to my arm 
trembling, and I cared neither to leave her here 
nor draw her with me into the fight. But now I 
saw treachery afoot. What meant Gardiner 
with his hand hidden? No trick was too con- 
temptible for him. Before I could take a step 
towards them the mischief was done. 

“Curse you!” we heard him roar, and imme- 
diately he crossed swords with his antagonist. 
Then up flew his left hand like lightning and a 
heavy drinking vessel sped full into his young 
opponent’s face, striking him between the eyes 
and felling him to the earth. In another second 
Gardiner’s sword had pierced the youth’s body, 
and he lay writhing in agony. 

Joan uttered a scream and I bounded forward 
to intercept the scoundrel, coming up with him 
at the very edge of the open. In another moment 
he had been lost amongst the foliage. 


206 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Vile, treachorous coward !” I roared, “turn, 
turn, or, by the Heaven above us, I’ll stab you 
through the back!” 

He turned and faced me, like a wild beast 
at bay. 

“Oh, damn you!” he snarled. “You! You 
again!” and he thrust with fury at my heart. 

This I parried and lunged as quickly, wound- 
ing him in the thigh. He fought like a demon 
incarnate, fought with the terror of the gallows 
behind him. Saints! how he fought! — his blade 
fairly shrieked upon mine, shrieked and writhed 
and darted like a living agonized thing. 

So swiftly, so suddenly, had this necessity be- 
fallen, so impulsively had I plunged to the fray, 
no thought had struck me concerning my unfit- 
ness for so desperate a combat. But I was soon 
to be awakened to the fact, to realize that my 
late illness had left me no match for a skilled 
swordsman and unscrupulous devil fighting for 
his very life. 

A desperate thrust, barely parried in time, 
roused me to the full extent of my peril. 

“Joan! Joan!” I cried, feeling my strength 
going fast. “The soldier — the guard — set him 
free!” 

“Oh, Richard, Richard!” she cried in terror, 
seeing how it was with me. She flew across the 
open, snatching up the prone youth’s sword to 
sever the soldier’s bonds, when at that moment 


207 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


Gardiner’s rapier pierced my shoulder, and 
a little cry of pain flew from my lips. 

“Oh God!” she screamed, rushing back, 
“Richard! Richard! I cannot! I dare not leave 
you!” 

Gardiner, with a triumphant gleam in his eyes, 
was pressing me to the death. My arm had grown 
numb, almost useless. My limbs bent and trem- 
bled under me. My breath came in quick pain- 
ful gasps, and a chill sweat broke from my body. 
I was exhausted, done for. Joan saw my terrible 
plight, saw with terror-stricken eyes, realized that 
it was near the end. A sudden thought seized 
her. She leaped behind Sir Christopher, and 
raised the sword she held to thrust it into his 
back. She raised it, but hesitated — nay, she 
could not do it — despite my peril her heart 
failed her, and her point dropped to the ground. 

“Ha, you dog! You marplot! At last, curse 
you, at last!” hissed my opponent, for my weapon 
had fallen from my nerveless hand, and I stood 
disarmed and helpless before him. A look of 
fierce exultation leaped into his eyes, the look 
of a tiger springing upon its prey. 

Then did it lie with Joan to do something, 
and that instanter. She felt it, and her woman’s 
wit failed not. In another moment I had been 
writhing on the ground with his blade through 
my heart, but Joan, in a twinkling, had turned 
the sword she held and using it as a club, brought 


208 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


the heavy hilt down with all her strength and 
terror upon Sir Christopher’s skull. The blow 
caught him in the nick of time, caught him just 
as he was about to make the final thrust — it 
dazed him, and I leaping aside, he plunged head- 
long to the ground, his sword sticking in the earth 
and snapping into several pieces. 

With a bound I was upon him, even as his 
minion Cole had been upon me at the outset of 
our adventure. In the very height of it, I could 
not help thinking that here at the end was a fine 
poetic justice, Right at last triumphant, and Evil 
grovelling in the dust. 

Yet it would not do to rejoice before the victory 
was fully assured. It is up and down with Right 
and Wrong many times before the sponge is 
thrown. So has it been in the world since Eden. 

“Now, my lady, now!” I cried to Joan who 
stood by pale with the excitement of it. “Re- 
lease the soldier. Hasten!” and she ran swiftly 
and unfastened the fellow. 

Gardiner was not stunned, simply dazed, but 
in that moment or two new strength came to me. 
He revived quickly and strove valiantly to throw 
me off; but he was face downward, and I firmly 
astride of his back, my hands spanning the nape 
of his neck, and I spared not full pressure upon it. 

“You unspeakable ruffian!” I hissed in his 
ear. “You monster of iniquity! The gallows 
shall have you yet.” 


209 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


The most fearful imprecations broke from his 
lips, and he heaved and writhed under me as 
though possessed of the strength of seven devils. 

“The bonds! Bring the bonds! ” I shouted 
across to Joan, “and hasten!” 

My words, some breathlessness and worry in 
my tone, inspired him with a new and sudden 
energy. He gave one quick and tremendous lift 
of his body, upsetting me from my place so that 
to save myself I must needs loose my grip of his 
neck. 

In a flash he was on his feet, but no sooner 
than I, and ere he could take a step to escape I 
had grappled with him again. And so once more 
we were at it, straining and struggling like maniacs, 
he fuming with rage and uttering the most horrible 
oaths, I content to use my breath for wiser pur- 
poses, and with a clutch upon the scoundrel that 
I was determined only death should break, or 
certain capture. 

Our infuriated struggles could have lasted only 
a minute or two, yet the time seemed an age. 
At last I was conscious that my companions were 
rushing towards us, and I saw the soldier, as he 
came snatch up my fallen sword. 

With a quick mighty effort I flung my opponent 
from me, when the soldier with a fierce thrust 
plunged his blade full into Sir Christopher’s back, 
the point coming out at his breast. I saw his 
hands fly up, saw him half turn about, then drop 


210 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


full length upon the sward. A few convulsive 
movements of his limbs, a sudden sharp tremor, 
and the Miscreant had ceased forever to fret a 
patient earth. 

Mistress Forrest went sick at the sight, and 
all but fainted in my arms. 


21 X 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


IN WHICH THE TANGLED THREADS ARE 
UNRAVELLED. 

We now gave our attention to poor Master 
Groves, who lay still upon the sward as if in death. 
But we found that Gardiner’s hasty thrust had 
pierced him in no vital part, and that his worst 
injury was a bruised and bleeding forehead from 
Sir Christopher’s cowardly and treacherous assault 
with the drinking vessel. 

The guard fetched some water from a stream 
nearby, and soon we had the youth back to con- 
sciousness. In twenty minutes he was able to 
stand and walk a little, and Joan and I supported 
him to Ralph Dudley’s where his wounds were 
well attended to. 

As for my own hurt, concerning which the 
maid expressed great anxiety, I found on removing 
my doublet that it was little more than a scratch, 
though at the time it drew from me, in my weak- 
ness, a little cry of pain. 

I noticed that immediately after our arrival at 
the house, Mistress Forrest despatched a mes- 
senger on some errand, and ’by the time Master 
Groves was made thoroughly comfortable, the 
person sent for had arrived. 


212 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“ Richard !” said Joan, calling me out into the 
hall and closing the door behind me. I have a 
surprise for you. Look!” 

It was the youth Roslin, and oh, what a sight 
to stir one’s soul to pity. If he had looked sad 
when last I saw him, now seemed he desolate 
and heart-broken indeed. His eyes were deep 
sunken and red with hours of weeping, nor had 
he yet ceased. Despair seemed to have clutched 
his very soul. Even at this, no suspicion of the 
truth flashed upon me. In psychology, in the 
subtleties, I was a very babe. 

Joan stood beside the lad, her arm laid caress- 
ingly across his shoulder. 

“ There, dear, do not weep!” she said in a 
soothing, infinitely tender voice, and the lad 
leaned to her and buried his face in her shoulder. 

Heaven’s mercy! what did it mean? I gazed 
at the pair in blank dismay. Had I then been 
mistaken after all? Was this the end of my 
dreams, my hopes, my desires? Was this fair 
youth then after all her accepted lover — after 
his treachery, his half-heartedness — after her 
sweet words, her hopes held out to me ? A thrill 
of agony shot through me, and in an instant 
the whole bright world turned in my heart’s 
vision into a grey and dismal thing. 

Looking^ up from comforting the lad, Joan 
must have seen dismay and suffering stamped 
upon my face. She started. Gently she put the 


213 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


weeping lad from her, and advanced towards 
me with outstretched hand. “Ah, then,” whis- 
pered my heart, “it is the end, it is farewell — 
tender and pitiful, but yet farewell — ” and as 
I had dropped a moment before from Heaven to 
earth, I seemed now to sink from earth into very 
Hell. 

’Twas but a second or two, yet I seemed to 
remain long enough in that dread place to run 
the gamut of its torments. Her voice roused 
me and lifted me from the depths. 

“Brave and generous friend!” she said, as her 
hand closed upon mine. Then saw I a look in 
her eyes that was not like that she had given the 
youth, and yet it thrilled me — and heard in her 
voice, too, something that was different, yet 
would I not have exchanged it for worlds — 
“Brave and generous friend,” she said, “I have 
tried you and pained you often and sorely, but 
never in wantonness. But it is the end, dear! — ” 
Oh the rapture of thatfword! — “It is the end! 
Patience a moment longer, and the mystery is 
revealed.” 

With this she threw open the door and disclosed 
to the youth the occupants of the room. Roslin 
gave one look, then a sharp glad cry broke from 
his lips, he rushed forward and fell into the arms 
of the wounded lad who pressed him in a passion 
of love and tenderness to his breast. 

“Brother! Brother!” was Roslin’s happy cry. 


214 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Mary!” gasped the other. “Mary!” — it was 
almost a scream this time — “Oh God! have I 
found you! Have I found you at last!” and 
he clasped close the trembling form and kissed 
the poor sad face as if he would never cease. 

It was some minutes before my muddled brain 
could grasp the fulness of this sudden revelation. 
I stood half dazed. It seemed as if a hundred 
things had happened at once, all of the deepest 
meaning and importance. Joan’s tender words — 
the sudden recognition — the youth’s glad cry — 
at last the significance of it all dawned upon me, 
and I saw what a fool, what an absolutely blind 
fool I had been. 

Silently we all left the room, left the reunited 
pair to their own comforting, my lady and I 
passing out again under the moon, that always 
sufficient lamp for lovers. For some minutes 
nothing was said between us. A great flood of 
happiness surged through me, foundering every 
little ship of speech that tried to float upon its 
surface. Joan realized my condition and waited 
until I had regained my calm. Soon the tumult 
lessened within me, and at last I said, as if to 
dispel the one little disturbing thought that yet 
lingered within me, the faintest suspicion of 
cruelty in the maid. 

“Do you think, dear, that all this suspense, 
this torture, was necessary? Could you not have 
told me?” 


215 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 


“Nay!” she said, her voice tender with love 
and sympathy. “Nay! I had promised not to 
tell it, dear; though I knew not then what a 
coil my promise would lead us into. Ah, but, 
Richard, dearest, she suffered so — remorse, pas- 
sion, jealousy. She loved him, monster though 
he was; she had to be near him. Our rigid 
Puritans would not have tolerated her presence 
had they known, hence, what she did was neces- 
sary. She opened her heart to me, and my own 
bled for her. I could not betray her, Dick, dear!” 

I put my arm about her and drew her close, 
until her beautiful head nestled against my 
shoulder. 

“Still,” I protested, though very gently, “still, 
dearest, you should have told me. No promise 
is binding which sunders hearts that beat only 
for each other? Did you fear to trust me?” 

“But, Dick dear,” she returned, looking up 
with a queer little knitting of her brows, “you 
were such a backward lover. How could I know 
that — that anything I did made the slightest 
difference?” 

“And when I did know,” she added roguishly, 
“why don’t you see, dear, that — well — your 
thought of having a rival should only have — 
have — you know, Dick — ” and the rest was 
lost in a pretty confusion. 

There was nothing more to say, nothing. In 
an ecstacy of love and tenderness I clasped her 


216 


THE MAID AND THE MISCREANT 

close, close to my breast, and thus we stood for 
many minutes, while from our lips flowed the 
richest words that love can utter, words too sweet, 
too sacred to be set down upon this common 
page — thus we stood at the end, and so keen, 
so exquisite, was the joy of it after what had 
passed, it seemed that my heart could have en- 
dured no more, and still continued its mortal 
throbbing. 

It is love in storm and tress that makes the 
story, and ours having sailed into a smooth sea, 
there is little more to tell. Six months later, 
in England, Joan and I embarked upon our 
second adventure, this time on a figurative sea. 
We have found much treasure on our voyage, 
but encountered no Sir Christopher Gardiners, 
nor pirates, so that a record of our further expe- 
riences would hardly be interesting to any but 
ourselves. 

THE END. 


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